BIL
 BIBLT                                                                           
BHP Billiton Plc - Transaction in own shares                                    
BHP Billiton Plc                                                                
Registration number 3196209                                                     
ISIN: GB0000566504                                                              
Share Code: BIL                                                                 
Date:          10 May 2006                                                      
Contact:       Elizabeth Hobley, Deputy Secretary                               
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 4054                                        
BHP BILLITON PLC - TRANSACTION IN OWN SHARES                                    
BHP Billiton Plc announces that on 10 May 2006 it purchased 1,700,000 of its    
ordinary shares at an average price of 1203.9847 pence per ordinary share.  It  
is intended that all of the purchased shares will be held as treasury shares.   
Following the above purchase, BHP Billiton Plc holds 13,070,000 of its ordinary 
shares as treasury shares.  The total number of ordinary shares in issue        
(excluding shares held as treasury shares) is 2,455,077,002.                    
For further information, please contact:                                        
Investor Relations                                                              
Mark Lidiard                                                                    
Office:   +44 (0) 20 7802 4156                                                  
Mobile:   +44 (0) 77 6993 4942                                                  
Company Secretariat                                                             
Elizabeth Hobley                                                                
Office:   +44 (0) 20 7802 4054                                                  
Mobile:   +44 (0) 7919 326871                                                   
BHP Billiton Limited                    BHP Billiton Plc                        
ABN 49 004 028 077                      Registration number 3196209             
Registered in Australia                 Registered in England and Wales         
Registered Office: 180 Lonsdale Street  Registered Office: Neathouse Place,     
Melbourne Victoria 3000                 London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom          
Telephone +61 1300 55 4757              Telephone +44 20 7802 4000              
Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015               Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111              
The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia                            
Date: 10/05/2006 05:57:04 PM Produced by the JSE SENS Department