Suitors for web bride are hoaxers

Ms Hammond received two bids of £250,000

A businesswoman who pledged to marry the highest bidder in an auction on the internet, has discovered two bids of £250,000 were hoaxes.

Kay Hammond runs her own internet company but has always denied the auction was just aimed at generating publicity.

After two previous auctions were abandoned because of bogus bids, suitors calling themselves "Ben Webb" and "Andrew1901" each offered £250,000.

But Ms Hammond, who lives in Sutton Coldfield, has been unable to contact the men.

I am very busy at work at the moment and now I am not sure I would have time for a husband anyway

Kay Hammond

She currently has publicity deals signed with the Mail on Sunday and Channel 4.

Ms Hammond has refused to say whether these deals have been affected.

Through her publicists, she said: "I was very disappointed when I found out that the bids were not genuine.

"I would have been happy to marry anyone who came up with the cash.

"I am still looking for that special someone.

"But I am very busy at work at the moment and now I am not sure I would have time for a husband anyway."

The would-be bride said she resorted to the auction because she was too busy working to find a partner.

'Cyber-geeks'

In her advertisement with the internet auction company, QXL, Ms Hammond said: "So often I have complained to my friends, family and colleagues that I never have the time to meet any men.

"I thought that by creating an online auction I would be able to reach as many men as possible and hopefully prove that the internet is not full of cyber-geeks, there are normal people out there."

An earlier approach to another online auction house was rebuffed when the company said they found the idea "unethical".

Ms Hammond said she would marry the man who passed a number of critical criteria including having no criminal record.