Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
BBC News - November 8, 2005
Ernie was described as charming with a huge sense of adventure A father has been auctioned on eBay by his two daughters to help raise money for an Aids charity.
Victoria and Olivia Randell from Cheltenham offered a date with single father Ernie in the Everything Else category of the internet auction site.
They described him as "a charming and funny 50-something with a huge sense of adventure and a brilliant mind".
The bidding closed on Monday at £205.01 and the money will go the Nuru centre for Aids sufferers in Tanzania.
The centre is a voluntary counselling and HIV-testing facility based in Singida, an arid region of the country which relies on imported rice to feed its population.
Funding concerns
The sisters came up with the idea of auctioning their father after 22-year-old Olivia, a volunteer worker, raised concerns about funding.
"The cost of food out there has shot up there recently and they are having problems getting food to feed their clients," said Ernie, 51.
"£1 will feed someone for a week where my daughter works."
The land agent said there appeared to be a clothing company and even a massage therapist among the 42 bidders.
But he is still to meet the winner and decide where to take her for the date.
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