No one buys jobless man priced at 99p

An unemployed 58-year-old man who tried to sell himself on eBay with a 99p starting price has failed to get a single bid.

Steve Sewell, from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, UK, said he had resorted to eBay because he was prepared to do anything to get work.

He said that, despite anti-discrimination laws, his age was working against him.

"I've had all sorts of jobs throughout my life, ranging from labouring to testing toilet paper," said Sewell.

After leaving school at 18, he qualified as an estate agent and has a number of other qualifications and skills. He is a bike mechanic, has a higher national diploma in electrical engineering, is an IT technician and has worked at a shipyard.

Although his wife and two children have laughed at the eBay listing, Sewell hopes the publicity may encourage employers to offer him a job.

"My family said I'm worth more than 99p, but desperate times call for desperate measures," he said.

"They say there's no age discrimination, but there must be.

"All the help and support is aimed at younger people, and rightly so, but there should be more to help older people find jobs. The bills are mounting and it's getting desperate now."

Item number 200941289677 describes Sewell as having "some wear to moving parts, surface finish worn" and states: "For those employers out there who missed this bargain, I'm relisting it: ME."