Purchase of Own Securities

Woolwich PLC
11 October 2000

Woolwich plc

Woolwich plc announces that on 11 October 2000 21,682,329 ordinary shares
remaining unclaimed since conversion were sold, in accordance with the notice
dated 10 July 2000. The Company also announces that it has purchased for
cancellation 20,281,769 of those ordinary shares at a price of 357p per
ordinary share and that Woolwich Qualifying Employee Share Ownership Trustee
Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Woolwich plc, purchased the remaining
1,400,560 ordinary shares at the same price per ordinary share.