Mother tries to sell baby on Gumtree

A WOMAN who tried to sell her baby on Gumtree ends in the mother of all backfires as her own children are taken away.

A mother who tried to sell a baby online claims it was a joke. But it has backfired, badly. Source: Thinkstock

A MOTHER in the UK has had her children taken away after she apparently tried to sell a baby on Gumtree for 150,000 pounds ($A278,000).

The Daily Mail reported a post on the classified ads website, which was titled "baby for sale", was put up on Boxing Day and offered a four-month-old baby boy who "comes with everything included". However, it was apparently a joke that backfired, big time.

After numerous users reported the ad to police an unnamed 20-year-old woman was tracked down and social workers removed her two children from her care.

No criminal charges were issued but the devastated woman pleaded with police to not take her two boys, explaining how it was just a joke.

Baby for sale. The advertisement as it appeared on website Gumtree.

"I had been joking with my ex about selling sperm and eggs and he sort of dared me to put up a baby for sale - but I didn't mean our children."

"I put on Gumtree that I was selling a baby for Pound150,000. I just plucked that number out of thin air and I claimed I was acting as an agent for a friend."

"It was very stupid and I shouldn't have done it, but I didn't think it would be taken seriously."

"I love my boys and they make me so happy and I want them to be happy. It was just a silly, silly joke."

The ad was taken down by Gumtree on the same day it was posted and while the open platform allows users to post pretty much anything a spokesperson said: "these sorts of ads are definitely not allowed and we take action straight away".