COUNTY INCREASES TESCO STAKE IN HILLARDS

  &lt;County Ltd>, which is acting in concert
  with Tesco Plc &lt;TSCO.L> in its 151.4 mln stg for supermarket
  chain operator &lt;Hillards Plc>, has purchased 300,000 Hillards
  ordinary shares at 316p per share, a statement said.
      These purchases, together with those made by County on 10
  March, represent about 4.8 pct of Hillards issued ordinary
  share capital, it said.
      Tesco's offer, made on March 10, values each Hillards
  ordinary share at 305.5p, a 37.6 pct premium over the previous
  day's  closing price. A cash alternative of 290.55p will be
  made available.
  

