Or, maybe better to wrap TRIM() around the source data in col A,

Put in B2, and copy down:

=IF(OR(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("&",TRIM(A2))),NOT(ISNUMBER (SEARCH("
",TRIM(A2))))),TRIM(A2),LEFT(TRIM(A2),SEARCH(" ",TRIM(A2))-1))

[same formula as before, but with "TRIM(A2)" replacing "A2"]
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Rgds
Max
xl 97
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GMT+8, 1° 22' N 103° 45' E
xdemechanik atyahoodotcom
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