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                          NEW ENGLAND BANCSHARES, INC.
                               855 Enfield Street
                                Enfield, CT 06082

For Immediate Release

CONTACT:  Scott D. Nogles, Chief Financial Officer
          (860) 253-5200

              New England Bancshares, Inc. Announces Completion of
                            Stock Repurchase Program

ENFIELD,  CT,  March 7, 2008 - New  England  Bancshares,  Inc.  (the  "Company")
(Nasdaq GM:  NEBS),  the holding  company for Enfield  Federal  Savings and Loan
Association  and Valley Bank,  announced the  completion  of a stock  repurchase
program that was authorized on October 9, 2007. The Company  repurchased 320,986
shares, or 5% of the Company's outstanding shares, at an average price of $11.70
per share.

Statements  contained in this news release,  which are not historical facts, are
forward-looking  statements  as that term is defined in the  Private  Securities
Litigation  reform Act of 1995. Such  forward-looking  statements are subject to
risks and  uncertainties,  which could cause actual results to differ materially
from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors,  which include, but
are not limited to, factors discussed in documents filed by the Company with the
Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Subject to applicable laws
and regulation,  the Company does not undertake - and specifically disclaims any
obligation - to publicly  release the results of any revisions which may be made
to any  forward-looking  statements to reflect events or circumstances after the
date  of  such  statements  or to  reflect  the  occurrence  of  anticipated  or
unanticipated events.

New England  Bancshares,  Inc. is  headquartered  in Enfield,  Connecticut,  and
operates Enfield Federal Savings and Loan Association with eight banking centers
servicing  the  communities  of Enfield,  Manchester,  Suffield,  East  Windsor,
Ellington  and Windsor Locks and Valley Bank with four banking  centers  serving
the communities of Bristol,  Terryville and  Southington.  For more  information
regarding    Enfield   Federal's    products   and   services,    please   visit
www.enfieldfederal.com and for more information regarding Valley Bank's products
and services, please visit www.valleybankct.com.

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