Online bungler spends £250,000 on fair ground ride at auction – by MISTAKE
The unnamed pensioner who bought the ride in error claims he cannot afford the 30-ton, 32-horse ride which he bid for
A fat-fingered bidder was facing financial ruin last night after buying a vintage fairground carousel at auction for £250,000 - by mistake.
The elderly man submitted an online bid of £180,000 for the huge 32 horse structure weighing 30 tons.
With VAT and commissions, that took the price up to a shade under a quarter of a million.
The magnificent 114-year-old ride was being sold-off after the closure in 2016 of Pleasure Island theme park in Cleethorpes, North Lincs, in 2016.
It was the only bid for lot 890, the final and most expensive item of the two-day fire sale of attractions.
The auctioneer bought cheers from the audience as he before putting down the hammer: "I'm so proud to be selling the carousel for £180,000."
But afterwards the mystery buyer protested he clicked the wrong computer button - and didn't have that kind of cash.
An urgent meeting was being arranged last night between the park owners, the bidder and Grimsby Auctioneers Prestige.
Lisa Vince, joint owner of Prestige, said: "The allegation is he pressed the wrong button. It could be an error, but we think that is highly unlikely.
"When he did so it is a legally-binding contract. We have yet to decide how to move forward.
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"I'm sick to death of it. The sale of the carousel was the highlight of the week and we had spent five months planning it.
"The carousel was made by either Tidman or Savage in 1904. It's huge - you can't take it away in a box van."
The blunderung bidder was from Lincolnshire. He submitted it through Bid.com, which will also be in talks to solve the issue.
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