BUILDING society chief Mike Lazenby shares Gills chairman Paul Scally's eye for a bargain.

Since moving to Sun Pier, Chatham, Kent Reliance Building Society has been busy putting in new hi-tech computer equipment.

So when chief executive Lazenby and his team saw that failed companies Enron and ITV Digital were selling off their assets for a song, they pounced.

While Mr Scally picked up gear worth millions of pounds from the disastrous Dome for use in Priestfield's new banqueting suite, Mr Lazenby snaffled up gizmos worth about £1 million - for just £100,000.

The proudly mutual society bought the items over the Internet. Mr Lazenby said one bit of kit that would have been £45,000 new cost just £800.

"We've got some very bright people in the technical department who know what they are doing and the ability to find the bits they need," he said.

Society bosses will also be sitting around a huge £65,000 Enron board table for which Kent Reliance paid £5,000.

But Mr Lazenby said they had resisted the temptation to buy an ITV Digital monkey - the broadcaster's symbol and selling for £100.