Purchase of Own Securities

Witan Investment Company Plc
1 February 2000


               WITAN INVESTMENT COMPANY PLC

          Market Purchase of Company's Own Shares
                             
Notification  is  given  that  pursuant  to  the  authority
granted at the Annual General Meeting held on 16 March 1999
to  make  market purchases of the Company's own  shares  of
25p,  a  market purchase of 500,000 ordinary shares of  25p
each in the capital of the Company was made yesterday at  a
price of 446.0p per share.

Following this purchase and cancellation there will be
367,408,094 shares in issue.

For further information please contact :

James Budden
Witan Investment Company plc
Telephone : [phone]

Norman Brown
Henderson Investors Limited
Telephone: [phone]

Vicki Staveacre
Henderson Investors Press Office
Telephone: [phone]