RNS Number:9101Q
Stirling Group PLC
15 October 2003


Not for release, publication or distribution in or into the United States,
Canada, Australia or Japan

                             Recommended cash offer
                                      for
                               Stirling Group plc
                                       by
                           PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
                                  on behalf of
                          Potter Acquisitions Limited

                             Extension of the Offer

Potter Acquisitions Ltd ("Potter") announces that the Offer made by
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PricewaterhouseCoopers") on behalf of Potter for
Stirling Group plc ("Stirling"), as set out in the offer document dated 23
September 2003, has been extended until 3.00pm on 28 October 2003.

By 3.00pm on 14 October 2003, the first closing date of the Offer, valid
acceptances had been received in respect of a total of 72,725,212 Stirling
Shares, representing approximately 85.6 per cent. of Stirling's issued share
capital. Of these acceptances, those relating to 9,661,724 Stirling Shares
(representing approximately 11.4 per cent. of Stirling's issued share capital)
have been received from persons acting, or deemed to be acting, in concert with
Potter.

Immediately prior to the commencement of the Offer Period on 4 December 2002
(being the date of the announcement by Stirling that the Executive Directors had
been given permission to explore the possibility of a public to private
transaction), Potter held no Stirling Shares or rights over Stirling Shares.
Persons who are acting in concert with Potter held at that time an aggregate of
1,339,281 Stirling Shares, representing at that time approximately 1.5 per cent.
of the issued share capital of Stirling. On 21 February 2003 Christine Rusby,
who is acting in concert with Potter for the purposes of the Offer, acquired
285,000 Stirling Shares, representing approximately 0.3 per cent. of Stirling's
issued share capital. On 22 September 2003, the date of announcement of the
Offer, Potter received irrevocable undertakings to accept the Offer in respect
of 37,875,759 Stirling Shares (including the Stirling Shares so acquired by
Christine Rusby), representing approximately 44.6 per cent. of Stirling's issued
share capital. On 25 September 2003 Lloyds TSB Development Capital Limited,
which is acting in concert with Potter for the purposes of the Offer, acquired
8,578,724 Stirling Shares (which were the subject of one of such irrevocable
undertakings), representing approximately 10.1 per cent. of Stirling's issued
share capital.

Save as disclosed in this announcement, neither Potter nor any person acting, or
deemed to be acting, in concert with Potter held any Stirling Shares (or rights
over such shares) immediately prior to the commencement of the Offer Period, or
has acquired or agreed to acquire (other than pursuant to the Offer) any
Stirling Shares (or rights over such shares) during the Offer Period.

Stirling Shareholders who have not yet accepted the Offer and who wish to do so
are urged to return their Forms of Acceptance as soon as possible.

Words and expressions defined in the Offer Document dated 23 September 2003
shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the same meanings when used
in this announcement.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial
Services Authority for designated investment business, is acting exclusively for
Potter and for no one else in relation to the Offer and will not be responsible
to anyone other than Potter for providing the protections afforded to clients of
PricewaterhouseCoopers or for providing or giving advice in relation to the
Offer or any other matter referred to in this announcement.

The directors of Potter accept responsibility for the information contained in
this announcement and, to the best of their knowledge and belief (having taken
all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained
in this announcement is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything
likely to affect the import of such information.



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