EXHIBIT 99.1



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

                           (for release at 7.30 a.m.)




                    TELEWEST COMMUNICATIONS PLC ("TELEWEST")

          TELEWEST'S RECOMMENDED OFFER FOR GENERAL CABLE PLC ("GENERAL
               CABLE") DECLARED UNCONDITIONAL SUBJECT TO ADMISSION


Further to the announcement on 28 August 1998, Telewest announces that:

1.       It has today declared its recommended offer for General Cable (the
         "Offer") unconditional subject to the 721,524,241 new Telewest shares
         to be issued in connection with the Offer and Pre-emptive Issue being
         admitted to the Official List of the London Stock Exchange Limited
         ("Admission"). Admission is expected to become effective at 9.00 a.m.
         today and the Offer and Pre-emptive Issue will become unconditional in
         all respects (and withdrawal rights terminate) at that point.

2.       As at 3.00 p.m. on 31 August 1998, valid acceptances of the Offer had
         been received in respect of 341,954,378 General Cable shares (including
         General Cable shares represented by General Cable ADSs) representing
         approximately 93.47 per cent. of General Cable's issued share capital.

3.       On 23 February 1998, the date when General Cable announced that it had
         received indications that certain of the discussions which it was
         having with third parties might lead to an offer, Telewest held no
         General Cable shares or rights over General Cable shares.

4.       On 29 March 1998, the date when Telewest and General Cable announced
         that merger discussions were at an advanced stage which might result in
         a recommended offer being made by Telewest for General Cable and the
         likely terms thereof, General Utilities Holdings Limited ("GUHL"), a
         subsidiary of Compagnie Generale des Eaux S.A. (now Vivendi S.A.),
         irrevocably undertook to accept such an offer, if made, in respect of
         its holding of 146,785,916 General Cable shares (representing 40.2 per
         cent. of General Cable's then issued share capital), if Telewest
         announced a firm intention to make such an offer on or before 15 April
         1998. On 15 April 1998, Telewest announced the terms of the Offer
         (subject to certain pre-conditions which have been waived or satisfied)
         and GUHL confirmed its previous undertaking to accept the Offer.
         Acceptances in respect of these shares have now been received and are
         included in the acceptance figures given above.

5.       All references to time in this announcement are to London time.





1 September 1998

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PRESS ENQUIRIES

TELEWEST                                                         01483 750900
Charles Burdick

J. HENRY SCHRODER & CO. LIMITED ("SCHRODERS")                    0171 658 6000
James Steel



Schroders, which is regulated in the UK by The Securities and Futures Authority
Limited, is acting for Telewest and no one else in connection with the Offer and
the Pre-emptive Issue and will not be responsible to anyone other than Telewest
for providing the protections afforded to customers of Schroders or for giving
advice in relation to the Offer and the Pre-emptive Issue.






















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