'Virginity sale' to go ahead

Police are looking at whether Miss Reid is breaking the law

A University of Bristol student selling her virginity on the internet says she will go ahead, despite police interest.

Rosie Reid, 18, a social policy student from Dulwich, London, said she wants the cash to avoid graduating with too many debts.

Avon and Somerset police said on Tuesday they were taking legal advice on whether she is breaking the law.

According to her website, Ms Reid, a lesbian, has closed the sale after receiving a £8,400 bid on Sunday.

She told BBC News Online: "I am still planning to do this in the next few weeks and have been in e-mail contact with the man involved.

We have tried to talk her out of it. - we have told her we would rather she didn't do this, and would hope that she won't Jenny Reid Rosie's mother

"My partner is still supporting me and doesn't have cold feet."

Responding to the police's interest in the situation, Ms Reid said: "They [the internet bidders] all approached me, not the other way around."

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: "It's a strange one because it's a grey area.

'Hope she won't'

"We are taking advice. I think it's probably illegal because it's like soliciting, but we are taking legal advice over the matter."

A spokeswoman for the university said: "As far as the university is concerned we have no comment as it's not a university issue and the student is an adult."

Miss Reid's mother Jenny, previously told BBC News Online: "We have tried to talk her out of it. We have told her we would rather she didn't do this, and would hope that she won't.

"She did tell us about it when she knew it was going to be reported by the media."