Employee Benefit Trust

Ashtead Group PLC
18 August 2005


Ashtead Group plc

18th August 2005

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

                                 Share Purchase

Ashtead Group plc has been advised that on 17th August 2005, Mourant & Co
Limited on behalf of the Ashtead Employee Benefit Trust ('the Trust') purchased
71,819 10p ordinary shares at a price of £1.14 per share.

The total number of shares held by the Trust is 2,971,490 or 0.74% of the
Company's issued share capital.

The Trust's shares may ultimately vest in executive directors and senior
managers under the Company's share option plans, Incentive Investment Plan and/
or the Performance Share Plan.

                      This information is provided by RNS
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