Unsolicited Preliminary Bid

W.H. Ireland Group PLC
21 April 2008



NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN, INTO OR
FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE
RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF THAT JURISDICTION



RNS

WH Ireland Group Plc

21 April 2008



                              WH Ireland Group Plc

                        ('WH Ireland' or the 'Company')

                      Unsolicited Preliminary Bid Approach



The Board of WH Ireland announces that it has received an unsolicited
preliminary approach which may or may not lead to an offer being made for the
entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company. There can be no
certainty that an offer will be made or the terms on which it might be made.



Further announcements will be made as and when appropriate.



Pursuant to Rule 2.10 of the City Code, WH Ireland announces that it has
17,231,589 ordinary shares of 5p each in issue under the ISIN code GB0009241885.



Enquiries:



WH Ireland Group plc                 0161 832 6644
Laurie Beevers,   Chief Executive



N M Rothschild & Sons Limited        0161 827 3800
Greg Cant



Biddicks                             0207 448 1000
Zoe Biddick
Sophie Lane


The Directors of WH Ireland accept responsibility for the information contained
in this announcement.  To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Directors,
who have taken all reasonable care to ensure such is the case, the information
contained in this announcement is in accordance with the facts and does not omit
anything likely to affect the importance of such information.

N M Rothschild & Sons Limited is acting for WH Ireland and no one else in
connection with this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other
than WH Ireland for providing the protections afforded to clients of N M
Rothschild & Sons Limited or for providing advice in relation to the contents of
this announcement.



Dealing Disclosure Requirements



Under the provisions of Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the
'Code'), if any person is, or becomes, 'interested' (directly or indirectly) in
1% or more of any class of 'relevant securities' of WH Ireland, all ' dealings'
in any 'relevant securities' of that company (including by means of an option in
respect of, or a derivative referenced to, any such 'relevant securities') must
be publicly disclosed by no later than 3:30pm (London time) on the London
business day following the date of the relevant transaction. This requirement
will continue until the date on which the offer becomes, or is declared,
unconditional as to acceptances, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn or on which
the 'offer period' otherwise ends. If two or more persons act together pursuant
to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire an
'interest' in 'relevant securities' of WH Ireland, they will be deemed to be a
single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.



Under the provisions of Rule 8.1 of the Code, all 'dealings' in 'relevant
securities' of WH Ireland by WH Ireland, or by any of their respective
'associates', must be disclosed by no later than 12:00 noon (London time) on the
London business day following the date of the relevant transaction.



A disclosure table, giving details of the companies in whose 'relevant
securities' 'dealings' should be disclosed, and the number of such securities in
issue, can be found on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.



'Interests in securities' arise, in summary, when a person has long economic
exposure, whether conditional or absolute, to changes in the price of
securities. In particular, a person will be treated as having an 'interest' by
virtue of the ownership or control of securities, or by the virtue of any option
in respect of, or derivative referenced to, securities.



Terms in quotation marks are defined in the Code, which can also be found on the
Panel's website. If you are in any doubt as to whether or not you are required
to disclose a 'dealing' under Rule 8, you should consult the Panel.


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