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An Italian mayor is offering to pay €2,000 to anyone willing to move to his village to stop it becoming deserted.

Daniele Galliano is trying to bolster the population in Bormida, a mountainous region in Liguria, north-west Italy, where just 394 people live.

He has floated the idea newcomers could pay just €50 (£42) a month to rent in the village alongside the welcome lump £1,700 sum.

The village has become somewhat of a ghost town as young people move out to the nearest cities to find work.

(Image: Roby Allario/Youtube) (Image: Google)

Mr Galliano said on his Facebook page the low rent scheme could be ready to be rolled out in a couple of months and would need approval from the local council.

One councillor told the Guardian: “We’re still working out the plan, but anyone is welcome to come and live here.

(Image: Google)

“We’re a small community but very welcoming.

"We’re high up in a mountain area but also not far from the sea – it’s a healthy lifestyle, the air is very clean.”

(Image: Google)

Mr Galliani's Facebook post sparked excitement from social media users who said they would be keen to relocate to Bormida.

Vincent Gaspar posted: "Mr Mayor, I would certainly love to live there.

(Image: Google)

"I hope this bill goes through, because I will move there in a heartbeat."

While Branko Gajic added: "I want to live there. I'm from Serbia and tell me what I should do to move there?"

(Image: Google)

One even said they would turn down the cash for a job in the town.

Amedeo Alloca wrote: "Mr Mayor, I’m available to move and give up the €2,000, but I can’t live off air. I have a family with two small children, if you can guarantee a job, even the most humble one, it wouldn’t be a problem."