`Dr Who' Net auction finds few supporters

A LIVE Internet auction of a missing 1965 episode of Dr Who has been shelved because of a lack of bidders.

The black and white 16mm film, starring William Hartnell as the first Dr Who, was one of more than 100 episodes which were believed to have been discarded by the BBC in the 1970s.

It was discovered by a movie buff at a collectors' fair in New Zealand. John Cochrane, the commercial business development manager at Turners Auctions in Auckland, said that the worldwide interest had "not culminated in many bidder registrations".

He added: "We have, however, had a number of private inquiries and have decided to withdraw the film from the auction format and pursue these further."