'Captured ghosts' are sold at auction

Two glass vials purportedly containing the ghosts of two dead people sold for 2,830 New Zealand dollars (1,983 US dollars) at an auction.

The "ghosts" were put up for sale by Avie Woodbury from the southern city of Christchurch.

She said they were captured in her house and stored in glass vials with stoppers and dipped in holy water, which she says "dulls the spirits' energy".

She said they were the spirits of an old man who lived in the house during the 1920s, and a powerful, disruptive little girl who turned up after a session with a spirit-calling Ouija board.

Since an exorcism at the property last July led to their capture, there has been no further spooky activity in the house, she said.

The auction attracted more than 214,000 page views and dozens of questions before the winning bid, Trademe auction site spokesman Paul Ford said. The name of the winning bidder was not released.

Ms Woodbury said that once an "exorcist's fee" has been deducted, the proceeds of the spirit sale will go to the animal welfare group the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.