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A young mum has tried to sell her “beautiful” baby son on the internet for £150,000.

Police and social services swooped when horrified users of the Gumtree classifieds site called 999.

The 20-year-old mother, who suffers from post natal depression and cannot be named, claimed that the series of messages on the site were a “silly joke”.

She claimed she had been dared to post it, but had no intention of going through with the sale and has been left devastated that her two sons have been taken away.

But in one chilling post on Boxing Day read: “Baby boy for sale. Comes with everything included. Deposit needed as sick of time-wasters.”

The full-time mother from Bradford said: “I had been joking with my ex about selling sperm and eggs and he sort of dared me to put up a baby for sale – but I didn’t mean our children.

“I put on Gumtree that I was selling a baby for £150,000. I just plucked that number out of thin air and I claimed I was acting as an agent for a friend.

“It was very stupid and I shouldn’t have done it, but I didn’t think it would be taken seriously.

“I love my boys and they make me so happy and I want them to be happy. It was just a silly, silly joke.”

She added: “I was crying and begging at this one social worker’s feet but she just took my son away.

“I am so upset and just want my boys back. It is my mistake, my stupidity. It should be me who is locked up, not the boys having to live with strangers.

“I am so sorry. I have not even been allowed to speak to them on the phone and I don’t know when I’ll see them again. I hope it is soon and they can come back to me.”

The advert appeared on Thursday evening. Initially it read: “baby, beautiful for sale deposit through pay pal email only” and included a £150,000 price tag.

It was later updated to read: “baby boy for sale comes with everything included deposit needed as sick of time wasters.”

One shocked user who emailed the mother claimed she replied to say she was selling the child “because it cries”.

When asked if the offer was genuine, the mother allegedly confirmed it was because she wouldn’t want to “shatter anyone’s dreams”.

Police yesterday confirmed nobody had been arrested and that they have passed on the case to social services.

Detective Inspector Vanessa Smith, from West Yorkshire Police, said: “The child concerned, who is both fit and well, is being looked after in conjunction with relatives and social services. The mother is receiving appropriate care.”

Julie Jenkins, assistant director of children’s specialist services at Bradford council, said: “We worked with the police to establish the safety of the child and we have made sure the child and the family have appropriate support.”