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'Entire life' sold for £192,000 | 'Entire life' sold for £192,000 |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A Briton living in Australia has agreed a bid of more than £192,000 after putting his "entire life" up for sale following a split from his wife. | A Briton living in Australia has agreed a bid of more than £192,000 after putting his "entire life" up for sale following a split from his wife. |
Ian Usher, 44, who left Darlington six years ago, included his house, car, job and friends in the online eBay auction, in an effort to make a fresh start. | Ian Usher, 44, who left Darlington six years ago, included his house, car, job and friends in the online eBay auction, in an effort to make a fresh start. |
The lot attracted a peak offer of 399,300 Australian dollars (£192,276) when bids closed early on Sunday. | The lot attracted a peak offer of 399,300 Australian dollars (£192,276) when bids closed early on Sunday. |
Despite expecting higher bids, Mr Usher said he had "no regrets". | Despite expecting higher bids, Mr Usher said he had "no regrets". |
At one point offers on the "life lot" rocketed to over two million Australian dollars (£1m) within hours of the sale's start last Sunday. | At one point offers on the "life lot" rocketed to over two million Australian dollars (£1m) within hours of the sale's start last Sunday. |
However, Mr Usher and eBay were forced to introduce a registration system to weed out what were revealed as hoax bids, many of which were from the UK. | However, Mr Usher and eBay were forced to introduce a registration system to weed out what were revealed as hoax bids, many of which were from the UK. |
Up for auction was his three-bedroom home, in Western Australia's capital Perth, and everything inside it, including his Mazda car, motorcycle, jet ski and parachuting gear. | Up for auction was his three-bedroom home, in Western Australia's capital Perth, and everything inside it, including his Mazda car, motorcycle, jet ski and parachuting gear. |
Ian Usher from Darlington put his life up for sale after breaking up from his wife | |
He also sold an introduction to his friends and a trial run at his sales assistant job at a rug shop. | He also sold an introduction to his friends and a trial run at his sales assistant job at a rug shop. |
After the auction closed Mr Usher said: "I am relatively pleased but I thought it would go a bit higher, if I'm honest. | After the auction closed Mr Usher said: "I am relatively pleased but I thought it would go a bit higher, if I'm honest. |
"But I've no regrets. What's done is done and I'm looking forward to sorting this all out." | "But I've no regrets. What's done is done and I'm looking forward to sorting this all out." |
Mr Usher said he would not reveal the identity of the buyer before he had made a telephone call to him. | Mr Usher said he would not reveal the identity of the buyer before he had made a telephone call to him. |
He added: "It was open season for 18 hours or so and people got a bit over-excited. I was a bit disappointed by the fake bidding, but it didn't surprise me." | He added: "It was open season for 18 hours or so and people got a bit over-excited. I was a bit disappointed by the fake bidding, but it didn't surprise me." |
Mr Usher decided to cut ties with his current life after realising almost everything reminded him of his relationship with his wife of five years. | Mr Usher decided to cut ties with his current life after realising almost everything reminded him of his relationship with his wife of five years. |
He said: "I've got some ideas. Once it's finished and confirmed, I'd like to do some travelling. I'd like to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, it's one of a huge list of things I want to achieve." | He said: "I've got some ideas. Once it's finished and confirmed, I'd like to do some travelling. I'd like to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, it's one of a huge list of things I want to achieve." |