HDD Hardide Plc

RNS No 8914b
HODDER HEADLINE PLC
5 July 1999

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

                       WH Smith Group PLC ("WH Smith")
                                      
     Recommended cash offer for Hodder Headline PLC ("Hodder Headline")
                                      
              Levels of acceptances and extension of the Offer
                                      
                                      
Further to the announcement on 18 June 1999, as at 3.00 p.m. today (2  July),
the second closing date of the Offer, valid acceptances had been received  in
respect of 16,443,112 Hodder Headline Shares, representing approximately 46.1
per  cent.  of  the issued share capital of Hodder Headline, which,  together
with  the 19,015,919 Hodder Headline Shares previously acquired by WH  Smith,
gives  a  total of 35,459,031 Hodder Headline Shares, representing  99.3  per
cent.  of  the  issued  share  capital of  Hodder  Headline.   Of  the  valid
acceptances  received, elections for the Loan Note Alternative were  made  in
respect of 5,119,830 Hodder Headline Shares, representing approximately  14.3
per cent. of the issued share capital of Hodder Headline.

The  Hodder  Headline  Directors holding Hodder Headline  Shares  irrevocably
undertook  to accept the Offer in respect of 999,504 Hodder Headline  Shares,
representing, in aggregate, approximately 2.8 per cent. of the  issued  share
capital  of  Hodder Headline.  Acceptances representing these 999,504  Hodder
Headline Shares are included in the valid acceptances referred to above.

During the Offer Period, WH Smith acquired 19,015,919 Hodder Headline Shares,
representing  53.3  per  cent.  of Hodder Headline's  issued  share  capital,
through WH Smith's agent Cazenove.

Save as disclosed above, neither WH Smith nor any person acting, or deemed to
be  acting,  in  concert with WH Smith held any Hodder  Headline  Shares  (or
rights over such shares) prior to the commencement of the Offer Period on  24
May  1999,  or  has otherwise acquired or agreed to acquire  Hodder  Headline
Shares (or rights over such shares) during the Offer Period.

WH Smith has received valid acceptances of the Offer representing over 90 per
cent. of the Hodder Headline Shares to which the Offer relates.  Accordingly,
WH  Smith  intends  to  apply  the provisions of  sections  428-430F  of  the
Companies  Act  1985  to compulsorily acquire all remaining  Hodder  Headline
Shares. WH Smith also intends, in due course, to procure the making by Hodder
Headline  of  an  application for the cancellation of the listing  of  Hodder
Headline Shares on the London Stock Exchange.

The  Offer  and the Loan Note Alternative have been extended and will  remain
open  for acceptance until further notice.  Hodder Headline Shareholders  who
have  not yet accepted the Offer are urged to complete and return their Forms
of Acceptance as soon as possible.

2 July 1999
_____________________________________________________________________________

ENQUIRIES

WH Smith                                          0171 514 9623
Richard Handover, Group Chief Executive
Keith Hamill, Finance Director
Tim Blythe, Director of Corporate Affairs

Schroders                                         0171 658 6000
Robert Swannell

Cazenove                                          0171 588 2828
Edmund Byers


The definitions set out in the offer document dated 28 May 1999 apply in this
announcement.

The  Offer (including the Loan Note Alternative) is not being made,  directly
or  indirectly, in or into, or by the use of the mails of, or by any means or
instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile transmission, telex
and telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facility of  a
national  securities  exchange of, the United States,  Canada,  Australia  or
Japan   and   the  Offer  cannot  be  accepted  by  any  such   use,   means,
instrumentality or facility from with the United States, Canada, Australia or
Japan.   Accordingly,  copies of this announcement, the Offer  Document,  the
Form of Acceptance and other related documents are not being, and must not be
taken,  mailed  or  otherwise forwarded, distributed  or  sent  (directly  or
indirectly) in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.

This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States
and is not an extension of a tender offer for the equity securities of Hodder
Headline.

The  Loan  Notes  have  not  been and will not be  registered  under  the  US
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under the securities laws of any state
or  other  jurisdiction  of the United States, Canada,  Australia  or  Japan.
Accordingly,  the Loan Notes may not be offered, sold, resold,  delivered  or
transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or  to,  or
for the account or benefit of US persons, or in or into Canada, Australia  or
Japan.

Schroders,  which  is  regulated  by  The Securities  and  Futures  Authority
Limited, is acting for WH Smith and no one else in connection with the  Offer
and  will not be responsible to anyone other than WH Smith for providing  the
protections  afforded to customers of Schroders or for  providing  advice  in
relation  to  the  Offer or any matter referred to herein  or  in  the  Offer
Document.

END




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