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Somerset floods: Submerged '£101,100' Seat Toledo car scrapped | Somerset floods: Submerged '£101,100' Seat Toledo car scrapped |
(about 21 hours later) | |
A car submerged on the Somerset Levels for months has been scrapped, despite attracting a £101,100 bid on eBay. | A car submerged on the Somerset Levels for months has been scrapped, despite attracting a £101,100 bid on eBay. |
Hubert Zajaczkowski, 21, decided to auction his Seat Toledo last month to raise money for victims of the floods. | Hubert Zajaczkowski, 21, decided to auction his Seat Toledo last month to raise money for victims of the floods. |
Despite him describing the car as not working, it attracted more than 120 bids from 24 people in just three days. | Despite him describing the car as not working, it attracted more than 120 bids from 24 people in just three days. |
But Mr Zajaczkowski said he has since scrapped the car after the winning bid proved to be a hoax and he was unable to find a single genuine bid. | But Mr Zajaczkowski said he has since scrapped the car after the winning bid proved to be a hoax and he was unable to find a single genuine bid. |
The car, a 15-year-old 1.8 litre saloon, was submerged under several feet of water for 11 weeks after Mr Zajaczkowski had to abandon it near Muchelney on Christmas Eve. | The car, a 15-year-old 1.8 litre saloon, was submerged under several feet of water for 11 weeks after Mr Zajaczkowski had to abandon it near Muchelney on Christmas Eve. |
It became a familiar sight during media coverage of the flooding and Mr Zajaczkowski decided to capitalise on its fame and auction it for charity. | It became a familiar sight during media coverage of the flooding and Mr Zajaczkowski decided to capitalise on its fame and auction it for charity. |
Mr Zajaczkowski said the highest bidder - who offered the £101,100 - had refused to pay, claiming it had been intended as a joke. | Mr Zajaczkowski said the highest bidder - who offered the £101,100 - had refused to pay, claiming it had been intended as a joke. |
"I also contacted about 20 to 25 lower bidders but they never got back to me," he said. | "I also contacted about 20 to 25 lower bidders but they never got back to me," he said. |
"I haven't sold anything on eBay before but I tried and there wasn't a single genuine bid." | "I haven't sold anything on eBay before but I tried and there wasn't a single genuine bid." |
The online auction site had offered to help the 21-year-old following the auction, but Mr Zajaczkowski said he had only been refunded his listing fee. | |
But a spokesman for the company said Mr Zajaczkowski had been advised "well before the listing ended" about its pre-approved bidder protection, which allows bidders to be vetted. | |
"We were sorry to hear of the problems with this auction," he said. | "We were sorry to hear of the problems with this auction," he said. |
"But the auction ended without pre-approved bidding and regrettably with a non-genuine highest bidder. | "But the auction ended without pre-approved bidding and regrettably with a non-genuine highest bidder. |
"We have raised over £50 million for good causes through high-profile auctions and completely reject the claim that we are not able to handle these auctions." | "We have raised over £50 million for good causes through high-profile auctions and completely reject the claim that we are not able to handle these auctions." |
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