The man who tried to sell himself for marriage on eBay has a new partner — the widow of his dad.

Mark Broughton, 39, from Witney, and his step mum Samantha Meredith, 40, fell for each other just months after Mark’s dad Brian died suddenly from a heart attack in January last year.

Ms Meredith feared she would never find another man like her husband and faced a life bringing up her children alone.

Mr Broughton stepped in to help his bereaved step-mother but over the time their feelings for each other grew until they began kissing on the sofa one night as they watched a film.

Ms Meredith admitted she felt guilty about it but the couple had fallen for each other after spending so much time together “without realising it”.

Mr Broughton lives in his own flat but this Valentine’s the couple hope they have a future together. He also admitted it was a strange situation but he said the couple loved each other and that was all that counted.

Ms Meredith said the relationship was difficult to deal with in its first days because she was worried about the effect on her children.

It was only two years ago that Mr Broughton featured in the Oxford Mail after auctioning his hand in marriage on eBay.

He had been unable to find a partner after splitting with his long-term girlfriend in 2005.

Three people put in 12 bids in total for him, with the auction closing at £17.

His plan was to invite the winning bidder to stay with him in Witney for a week and, if she still wanted to marry him, he would honour the deal.

But a few days later Mr Broughton said he had not heard anything back, despite emailing the winning bidder twice.

Ms Meredith said there was 22 years between herself and her first husband, but she fell in love with him instantly.