For sale: Nagging wife, very high maintenance

A BUILDER who put his nagging wife up for sale in a trade magazine was shocked when he had several offers for her.

Gary and Donna Bates at their home in Ebley Stroud Gary and Donna Bates at their home in Ebley, Stroud

After the latest blast from wife Donna while she was watching Dancing on Ice, Gary Bates, 38, from Gloucestershire placed the unusual advert in Trade-It.

Mr Bates, from Ebley, near Stroud, described his spouse as: “Nagging Wife. No Tax, Not MOT. Very high maintenance - some rust.”

His wife was put in the Free to Collect section of the magazine where he also advertised his fishing tackle.

Despite the less-than-flattering pitch, Mr Bates was inundated with calls from men offering to take her off his hands.

He said: “I didn’t think anyone would ring up but I’ve had at least nine or 10 people calling about her.

"It’s gone mad. There was no-one I knew - just people asking, ’Is she still available?’

The advertisement in a trade magazine showing a Nagging Wife for sale The advertisement in a trade magazine, showing a 'Nagging Wife' for sale

“She was nagging me for doing something small, while she was watching some rubbish on TV. So I just thought I’d put an ad in to get rid of her.

“She’s seen the funny side of it now though!”

The self-employed builder said his wife laughed at the anonymous advert before realising she was the one on special offer.

She gave him “a bit of an ear-bashing” after the prank was revealed, he admitted.

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