BACHELOR Mark Broughton was on tenterhooks today after emailing the winning bidder in the auction for his hand in marriage.

Mr Broughton, of Corn Bar, Witney, hit the headlines after auctioning his future on the Internet site eBay last month.

And the 37-year-old admitted the nerves were jangling as the race came to an end with the winner sealing the deal with a £17 bid.

He was also in the dark over his potential bride-to-be - or whether the bid was genuine, although he knows it is a local woman.

Mr Broughton said: "There were 12 bids from three people - all were local - and I have now emailed the winner to explain how it's going to work.

"I am a bit nervous to be honest."

The 10-day auction began on January 25 and, after a slow start, competition got fierce between three rival bidders fighting it out until last night.

The winning bidder will be invited to stay in Mr Broughton's flat for a week and, if she still wants to marry him at the end of it, he will honour the deal.

Mr Broughton, who got a makeover last week in which his hair was dyed blond, said: "It has been an incredible week and when I first started this, I had no idea it would get so much attention.

"Providing the bidder is genuine and is not some bloke trying to mess me about, I will not ask for any payment.

"I have no idea who the bidders are - it's very intriguing - but if the winner still wants to marry me after staying in my flat for a week, then I will go ahead with the agreement.

"It has been the strangest week of my life and I am a little bit terrified, to be honest.

"If someone had told me I would end up with my hair dyed blond and a fake tan, I would have laughed at them.

"At the end of the day, my ambition is to be happy and to share my life with someone who also wants to be happy."

Mr Broughton decided to look for love on eBay after a long-term girlfriend left him two years ago.

He has been unable to find a partner since the breakup.

The former parking attendant admitted he was "no hunk", weighing 18 stone, but has promised his bride-to-be that he is "very loyal and would never cheat on a woman".

He added: "I expect it will be about a week before someone moves in - I don't think the winning bidder will turn up on my doorstep straight away."