Super car that almost killed Top Gear's Richard Hammond is auctioned on eBay - Showbiz - Evening Standard
       

Super car that almost killed Top Gear's Richard Hammond is auctioned on eBay



Lucky man: Richard Hammond made a full recovery after the crash



The record-breaking jet-powered car that nearly killed Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond is up for sale on auction website eBay.

The pint-sized star, nicknamed 'The Hamster', was seriously injured when he crashed at 288.3 miles-per-hour (464 kilometres-per-hour) while driving the Vampire jet dragster at the former RAF Elvington airfield near York.

The 38-year-old was airlifted to hospital where he was treated for swelling to the brain and bruising but eventually made a complete recovery.

Footage of the crash was screened on Top Gear earlier this year.

The vehicle's owner Colin Fallows has placed the car up for sale on eBay, in a bid to clear space in their workshop.

The auction listing says the car is "a little the worse for wear after its much-publicised excursion into the weeds. It is being sold as scrap without any warranty or guarantees whatsoever".

Fallows said: "We've not got a huge workshop and it's 30ft long and taking up a lot of space. We just want to get shot of it.

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Remains: A police officer inspects the damaged Vampire

Remains: A police officer inspects the damaged Vampire

"We'll be very sad to see it go. Over the years it's had one meticulous owner and one c*** driver.

"Everybody who's approached us so far has wanted pieces of it, and we've been offered huge sums of money for the steering wheel.

"We didn't want to sell it in bits because of the inconvenience of taking it apart. If we sell the whole thing complete then it's out of our way.

"I'm not particularly fussed where it goes but it would be nice to keep it complete."

The auction is set to finish on December 30 and current bids stand at £5,800.

Shocking: The car flips over during the crash

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