Offer Update

Guinness Peat Group PLC 26 April 2002 For immediate release Not for release, publication or distribution in whole or in part, in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan 26 April, 2002 Guinness Peat Group plc and J O Hambro Capital Management Limited Mandatory Cash Offer for Nationwide Accident Repair Services plc Offer Update Strand Partners, on behalf of Guinness Peat Group plc ('GPG') and J O Hambro Capital Management Limited ('JOHCM') in relation to the offer announced on 14 March 2002 to acquire the issued share capital of Nationwide Accident Repair Services plc ('Nationwide') not already held by them (the 'Offer'), today announces that the Offerors have acquired through the market 55,000 Nationwide Shares at 90 pence per Nationwide Share, representing 0.21 per cent. of Nationwide's issued share capital. The purchases increase the number of Nationwide Shares held by the Offerors to 12,355,712, representing 46.74 per cent. of Nationwide's issued share capital. A further 70,961 Nationwide Shares, representing 0.26 per cent. of Nationwide's issued share capital, had been validly accepted under the terms of the Offer as at 25 April 2002 (being the last business day prior to the publication of this announcement). Definitions used in the Offer Document have the same meanings when used in this announcement, unless the context requires otherwise. Enquiries: Guinness Peat Group Tel: (020) 7236 0336 (Representing the Offerors) Blake Nixon UK Executive Director Strand Partners Limited Tel: (020) 7409 3494 (Financial Adviser to GPG and JOHCM) Simon Raggett Director Warren Pearce Manager Weber Shandwick Square Mile - Tel: (020) 7950 2800 (Financial PR Adviser to GPG and JOHCM) Kevin Smith/Josh Royston Strand Partners, which is authorised in the United Kingdom by The Financial Services Authority, is acting for GPG and JOHCM and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than GPG and JOHCM for providing the protections afforded to customers of Strand Partners, nor for giving advice in relation to the Offer. The Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, in or into, and may not be accepted in or from, the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. Accordingly, copies of this announcement are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise distributed or sent in or into or from the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. Strand Partners has approved the contents of this announcement solely for the purpose of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The principal place of business of Strand Partners is 110 Park Street, London, W1K 6NX. The GPG Directors and the JOHCM Directors accept responsibility for the information contained in this announcement save that the only responsibility accepted by them in respect of such information as relates to Nationwide (which has been compiled from public records) has been to ensure that such information has been correctly and fairly reproduced and presented. Subject as aforesaid, to the best of the knowledge and belief of the GPG Directors and the JOHCM Directors (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), such information is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or an invitation to purchase any securities. END This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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