Exercise of options

James Halstead PLC
14 October 2003


James Halstead plc ('James Halstead' and the 'Company')

14 October 2003

Exercise of options and directors' dealings


James Halstead today announces that it has issued 87,500 10p ordinary shares in
the Company ('Ordinary Shares') in respect of share options of the James
Halstead Group Executive Share Option Scheme (1986) and 152,000 Ordinary Shares
in respect of share options of the James Halstead Group Share Option Plan
(1998).

The Company has been advised that Mr Mark Halstead and Mr Gordon Oliver,
directors of the Company, have exercised share options as follows:


-   Mr Mark Halstead has exercised share options for 20,000 Ordinary shares at 
    200 pence per share; and

-   Mr Gordon Oliver has exercised share options for 12,500 Ordinary shares at 
    341 pence per share and 20,000 Ordinary Shares at 200 pence per share.


The Company has also been advised that Mr Halstead and Mr Oliver have sold
20,000 and 32,500 Ordinary Shares respectively at 351 pence per share on 14
October 2003.


Following this notification, Mr Halstead's and Mr Oliver's respective holdings
in the Company remain unchanged.


Enquiries:

James Halstead plc
Jack Whittaker
Tel: [phone]

Brown, Shipley & Co. Limited
Philip Johnson
Tel: [phone]


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange