Auction Of 'Ronald Reagan's Blood' Called Off

An auction house has called off the sale of a vial of blood said to be from Ronald Reagan after the late US president's foundation and his family expressed outrage.

Online bidding had reached about \$30,000 (£19,136) when the auction was cancelled.

PFC Auctions, based in Guernsey, said it would instead donate the item to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation in California.

In a statement the auction house said the seller had obtained the vial legally at a US auction earlier this year for \$3,550 (£2,264).

The decision to cancel the auction has been praised by the foundation.

Its executive director John Heubusch said: "We are very pleased with this outcome and wish to thank the consignor and PFC Auctions for their assistance in this matter."

He added he was pleased the late president's blood will be kept "out of public hands".

PFC Auctions had earlier claimed the vial of dried blood residue was taken at George Washington University Hospital in March 1981 after Mr Reagan was wounded in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley .

It is said to have come from a person whose late mother had worked at a medical lab. The foundation had said that if this was true, its sale was a "craven act".

The auction website showed a picture of the blood-filled vial with a typed label showing the president's name stuck to it.

The sale was due to be completed on Thursday.