STRUGGLING Bury has received "astonishing" interest from fans just days after the club announced it was auctioning a place in the first team.

Club staff hoped fans keen to save the side from financial ruin might stump up about £1,000 for the squad place when bidding comes to an end in two months' time. The auction was revealed last Thursday in an exclusive Bolton Evening News story.

But after only three days, supporters have already raised the price of a place to more than £1,500, the auction's organisers said.

The club was placed in administration two months ago after creditors demanded payment on a £1 million mortgage.

Bury's website manager, Gordon Sorfleet, who devised the auction, thanked the fans for their support and urged them to keep the bids coming.

He said: "It's astonishing -- it has already passed the figure that I expected this experience to sell for.

"I was hopeful for £1,000, but it looks as though it is going to go a lot further than we had hoped."

The Shakers have been relegated to Division 3 while ITV Digital, a major source of revenue for lower league clubs, has collapsed.

Last week the High Court in Liverpool extended the administration period until May 31 by which time it is hoped talks aimed at shoring up the club's longer term future will have been successfully completed.