Fresh air raises €85 on eBay

A bottle of fresh countryside air and a bottle of city centre smog have gone head-to-head on the internet auction site eBay.

The fresh air was bottled on the slopes of Helvellyn, a 3,116ft mountain near Ullswater, Cumbria, while the smog was bottled in central Manchester.

The two bottles were put up for sale on eBay, with the Lakeland Air winning the contest.

It sold for €85, but the Manchester Smog, which proudly boasted to be “not as fresh smelling as Lakeland Air”, attracted a top bid of just €4.56.

The sales pitch for the Smog read: “This is your chance to get the one and only bottle of Manchester Smog.

“It may not be the fresh smelling Lakeland stuff, but this is aimed at those inspirational people who love to work and play in the city and get home sick when they are away on holidays in the sun.

“You know you love nothing better than to return home to the place you miss the most – Manchester.

“Well all you have to do now is close your eyes, open the bottle, and have a sniff and Manchester heaven suddenly surrounds you.”

The Lakeland Air was bottled by Pete Collins, a Fell Top Assessor for the Lake District National Park Authority.

Its label reads: “For centuries Lakeland Air has been enjoyed by those who enjoy the finer things in life and is guaranteed to satisfy even the most selective tastes.

“The perfect accompaniment to any lifestyle, it mixes perfectly with a blend of heritage, culture or high energy pursuits.

“For best results, we always recommend that Lakeland Air is enjoyed at source.”

An advisory label added: “Store in an open space, this product is not affected by direct sunlight or freezing temperatures and will not deteriorate over time.”