Pensioner brands southerners 'stingy'

AN OAP has branded southerners 'stingy' after giving away more than £500 worth of unwanted items in exchange for a donation to charity - and only getting £15.

Lancashire-born Brian Fisher, 85, put up a sign outside his Essex home offering a range of items for free in return for a 'sensible' donation.

The items included a Bonsai tree worth £50, a brand new set of car mats, a four-slice-toaster, box of spanners and an assortment of household goods.

But Mr Fisher, from Maldon, Essex, says he was 'sickened' to find that his neighbours had only donated £15.01 for goods he said were worth around £540.