Flood-damaged car 'bought' by 12-year-old

A SUBMERGED CAR that was abandoned because of flooding on the Somerset Levels and put on eBay has sold for more than £100,000.

The unnamed bidder paid £101,100 on the online auction site to buy the Seat Toledo after it was put up for sale by owner Hubert Zajaczkowski, 21.

Mr Zajaczkowski planned to donate the cash to a charity helping the victims of flooding in Somerset.

He was forced to leave the car, which had done 110,000 miles, on a road near the village of Muchelney on Christmas Eve because of the rising water.

For weeks, the five door silver petrol car remained stranded under several feet of water, filmed and photographed by national and international media and press as an illustration of the disaster unfolding in Somerset.

It was even commented on by the Prince of Wales and Prime Minister David Cameron.

Mr Zajaczkowski said the 15-year-old 1.8L saloon, which he had bought for £600, was not in working condition.

Last week, Mr Zajaczkowski, an apprentice at AgustaWestland in Yeovil, spoke of his shock at the car making headlines around the world.

"I wasn't expecting my car to be on telly and then eventually international news and in newspapers," he said.

"It smells. It is unbelievably disgusting in there."

It later emerged the bid appeared to be a practical joke by a 12-year-old boy.

Mr Zajaczkowski told the Somerset Gazette he was disappointed at the apparent hoax bidding.

He told the paper: " I was quite shocked how high the bidding was. But I did contact the top bidder but he was not legit. Basically it was a 17-year-old lad who's 12-year-old brother thought it would be funny."

By Press Association reporters