Thorntons PLC - Holding in Company

RNS No 4824k
THORNTONS PLC
                    DEALINGS BY SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDERS

1)  NAME OF COMPANY

THORNTONS PLC

2)  NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

ANTHONY HUGH THORNTON

3)  Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of holding
    of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial
    interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that
    person's spouse or children under the age of 18

AS 2

4)  Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of
    shares held by each of them.

ANTHONY HUGH THORNTON    2034575

5)  Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.

N/A

6)  ( N/A %) of issued Class

7)  Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

100,000

8)  (0.15%) of issued Class

9)  Class of security

ORDINARY 10P SHARES

10) Date of transaction

22/3/99

11) Date company informed

22/3/99

12) Total holding following this notification

1934575

13) Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

2.92%

14) Any additional information

PRICE #2.29 PER SHARE

15) Name of contact and telephone number for queries

R A COLE
01773 542384

16) Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making
    this notification

    Date of Notification....22/3/1999...........


END

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