A NEWSAGENTS in Worcestershire which was put up for sale on the internet auction site eBay has failed to attract a buyer.

Michelle Elliot, owner of the village newsagents Elliott's in Drakes Broughton, near Pershore, put her business - which has an average weekly turnover of £3,700, on the site a week ago with a starting bid of £30,000.

But by lunchtime yesterday when the auction ended, the business had failed to attract any bidders. However, it did attract almost 700 hits on the web page and had more than 60 potential buyers watching' it.

Mrs Elliot, 34, who lives close to the business, said she was surprised by the amount of interest received.

"We advertised it locally and it didn't sell so we put it on eBay," she said.

"The reason I am doing it is down to family commitments and I had thought about selling it for a while.

"I was quite shocked by the number of people who have contacted me. They think it is an unusual thing to do but there is a category on eBay for selling a business so it must have been done before."

Mrs Elliot, who is married to estate agent Anthony and has two children, Oliver, nine, and Thomas, seven, said it was a family business, which they had run for the past five years.

Her mother Chris Turner said: "She just needs a bit of a break. The shop is open from 6.15am until 5.30pm and although she isn't in all of that time, she is here for 5.30am to get the papers sorted out ready for the paper round.

"A lot of the locals will be sad to see her go. She is open seven-days-a-week throughout the year, except Christmas Day. She has a lovely rapport with the customers."

The eBay advert listed it as being a "popular village centre confectioner, tobacconist and newsagents servicing the busy Drakes Broughton, Wadborough and Pirton communities".

Mrs Elliott has now re-listed the business on eBay.

The last date for placing a bid is Tuesday, February 26 at 2.32pm.