Abington Bancorp Announces Timing of Conference Call on Year-End/Fourth Quarter Results.

Business Editors

ABINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 15, 2004

Abington Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ NMS:ABBK) announced today that it plans to hold a conference call with the investment community to discuss its results for year end/fourth quarter of 2003 on Thursday, January 22, 2004 at 2 pm. A press release containing the Company's results for that period will be issued earlier that day. The call will be hosted by James P. McDonough, President and Chief Executive Officer, and James K. Hunt, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

The call may be accessed telephonically or as a webcast. To participate in the call, please dial 1-800-901-5248, confirmation code 20440404. International callers should dial 617-786-4512, using the same confirmation code. To access the webcast, please visit the Company's website (www.abingtonsavings.com) approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the call and follow the directions there. A replay of the call will be available as a webcast at the same location starting approximately two hours after the call is completed.

On October 21, 2003, Abington Bancorp, Inc. and Seacoast Financial Services Corporation (SCFS), New Bedford, Massachusetts, jointly announced the execution of a definitive agreement whereby SCFS will acquire Abington Bancorp, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, each share of Abington common stock will be exchanged for $34 per share in cash or 1.4468 shares of SCFS common stock, subject to certain election and allocation procedures intended to ensure that 75% of Abington's shares will be exchanged for SCFS common stock and 25% for cash. The transaction is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2004, subject to the approval by Abington's shareholders and regulators of both companies.

Seacoast and Abington filed relevant documents concerning the merger of Abington into Seacoast with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including a registration statement on Form S-4 on December 19, 2003. Investors are urged to read the registration statement on Form S-4 containing a prospectus/proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction and any other documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they contain (or will contain) important information. Investors are able to obtain those documents free of charge at the SEC's website, (http://www.sec.gov). In addition, documents filed with the SEC by Seacoast Financial can be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Seacoast Financial Services Corporation, One Compass Place, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740, Attn: James R. Rice, Senior Vice President, telephone [phone]. In addition, documents filed with the SEC by Abington can be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Abington Bancorp, Inc. 97 Libbey Parkway, Weymouth, MA 02189, Attn: Corporate Secretary, telephone [phone]. WE URGE SHAREHOLDERS TO READ THESE DOCUMENTS, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN (OR WILL CONTAIN) IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Abington and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the merger.

About Abington Bancorp

Abington Bancorp, Inc. is a one-bank holding company for Abington Savings Bank. Abington Savings Bank is a Massachusetts-chartered savings bank with offices in Abington, Boston (Dorchester), Brockton, Canton, Cohasset, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Holbrook, Hull, Kingston, Milton, Pembroke, Quincy, Randolph, Weymouth and Whitman. Its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Depositors Insurance Fund.