An Italian town is auctioning off abandoned homes for €1.

House

House

The town of Salemi, in Sicily, has announced that it will auction off homes that have fallen into disrepair for a measly price.

Mayor Domenico Venuti revealed that the scheme is part of efforts to revitalise the area, which has seen its population continuously dwindle after thousands left the area following an earthquake in 1968.

Venuti told CNN: "All buildings belong to the City Council, which speeds up the sale and reduces red tape.

"Before launching the scheme we first had to recover the old parts of Salemi where the houses are located, upgrading infrastructure and services from roads to electric grids and sewage pipes.

"Now the town is ready for the next step."