Web auction wife hits £10m price tag

A 24-year-old internet entrepreneur who auctioned herself as a wife said that she was shocked when bids reached £10 million before the sale was banned.

Kay Hammond, from Birmingham, put a reserve price of £250,000 on the eBay auction - the winner gets to marry her after singing a pre-nuptial contract. But the internet auction site has now withdrawn her advert less than 24 hours after it appeared. An eBay spokeswoman says: "It's a grey area, but there are certain things that aren't considered appropriate, like people selling their virginity or their soul."

Ms Hammond, who's managing director of an Internet company revealed, "I'm not selling my body and I'm not selling sex - I'm selling the whole thing." She adds: "I can't believe people are bidding for me. I'm thrilled - and shocked. It's so bizarre." She's received around 600 emails since the ad appeared and is considering putting herself up for auction on other auction sites.

The eBay spokeswoman says the 11 bids aren't valid and that the auction has been "annulled".