SAINTS' sponsor Friends Provident sold around £1 billion worth of shares in 2003, it has emerged.

The figure comes from research by an independent analyst ahead of the south based life insurer's full-year results, which are due to be published next week.

But it is understood the company is not quibbling with the figure, which means shares in the company's with profits life insurance fund fell from 33 to 32 per cent over the course of the year.

The research comes from independent life insurance analyst Ned Cazalet. Friends Provident, which has nearly one million shareholders and 2.5 million policy holders and manages funds of £60 billion, employs 1,060 workers at its regional offices in Salisbury.