Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

3rd October 2005

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                            Ordinary Shares of 10p                             

Ashtead Group plc ('Ashtead') announces that it has been advised by Third Point
LLC that it has an interest in 16,000,000 (or 3.98%) of its shares.

The registered holders of the above shares are:



Registered Holder               Number of Shares   Class of Share

                                                            
Goldman Sachs International        15,069,600       Ordinary

                                                            
Bear Sterns Securities Corp.          930,400       Ordinary
                                                            

                       

Ashtead has been further advised by Daniel S Loeb that he has an interest in
the above shares by virtue of his control of Third Point LLC.