Purchase of Own Securities

Witan Investment Company Plc
24 March 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,  market  purchases  of 250,000  and  300,000  ordinary
shares of 25p each in the capital of the Company were  made
yesterday  at  a  price  of 478.0p  and  476.0p  per  share
respectively.

Following this purchase and cancellation there will be
366,308,094 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]