RNS Number:8470Q
Hartstone Group PLC
14 October 2003

                                 PRESS RELEASE

                                14 October 2003
                            (for immediate release)

                     THE HARTSTONE GROUP PLC ("Hartstone")


The board of The Hartstone Group PLC are pleased to announce the appointment of
Christopher H B Mills as a non-executive group board director with immediate
effect.

Christopher Mills, aged 50, is Chief Executive and a shareholder of North
Atlantic Smaller Companies Investment Trust PLC ("NASCIT") , a director and
shareholder of Oryx International Growth Fund Limited ("ORYX") and a director,
Chief Investment Officer and indirect shareholder of J O Hambro Capital
Management Limited, discretionary investment management clients of which
together with NASCIT and Oryx hold 17.76% of the Company's ordinary shares and
2.40% of its convertible redeemable preference shares of 10p each ("preference
shares").

Mr Mills is therefore non-beneficially interested in 30,810,000 ordinary shares
of 1p   being 17.76% of the issued ordinary shares and 4,170,000 preference
shares being 2.40% of its issued preference shares.

                             Director's Details

As required by Rule 15 of the AIM Rules, the Company makes the following
disclosures following the appointment of Christopher Mills to its Board:

Christopher Mills is currently a director of J O Hambro Capital Management
Limited and J O Hambro Capital Management Group Limited.  He is also a director
of the following companies which are either now or have in the past five years
been publicly quoted:  Midstates plc; Jarvis Porter Group plc; North Atlantic
Smaller Companies Investment Trust PLC; Stanelco plc; American Opportunity Trust
PLC; Denison International plc; Second London American Trust PLC; Master
Distributors Holdings plc; Paramount plc; Aberdeen Park Investments plc; Jubilee
Investment Trust plc; Lonrho Africa plc; Acquisitor plc; Nationwide Accident
Repair Services plc; United Industries plc; Darby Group PLC, Izodia PLC and VTR
plc.

Christopher Mills was a director of the following publicly quoted companies in
the past five years: PNC Telecom plc (currently in administration); Platinum
Investment Trust plc (formerly) The Knox D'Arcy Trust PLC; Redbus Interhouse
plc; Piccadilly Growth Trust plc; Premier Asset Management plc.

Christopher Mills is also a director of Calenden Limited; Cross-Border
Publishing Limited; GEI Group Limited; Autotag Limited; Lindley Catering Limited
and Checkout Holdings Limited.

Christopher Mills is a partner in the following limited liability partnership:
JOHCM Alternative Investments LLP.

In addition, he is a director of J O Hambro Conning Grimston Limited and HCG
Corporate Advisers Limited (both of which are in members voluntary liquidation).

Christopher Mills was also a director of Nationwide Security Group plc (in
Administrative Receivership).  Receivers were appointed to this company on 16
February and realised sufficient assets to pay all creditors and make a small
distribution.  Receivers were appointed to Versatile Group Limited of which
Christopher Mills was a director, and its subsidiaries Versatile Projects
Limited and Castle Finance Limited by Bank of Scotland who had charges and cross
guarantees supporting a debt of #2.04 million in addition to which the group had
net liabilities of in excess of #700,000 to unpaid creditors.  Versatile Group
was dissolved under Section 652 of the Companies Act 1985 on 15 May 2001.

There is no further information to disclose on Christopher Mills pursuant to
Rule 15 of the AIM Rules.


                   ____________________________________________

PRESS ENQUIRIES

The Hartstone Group PLC                                             01494 787700
  Shaun Dowling, Chairman
  John De Morgan, Company Secretary


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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