Six Palmerston North students left homeless and without any possessions by a fire have managed to raise $200 by selling a fire-damaged, half-empty jar of Marmite.

Jerram Tuck listed the 500 gram jar of  ‘‘Smokey Marmite’’ as a fundraiser, after his flat on Morris St was burnt down in an arson attack late last month.

The blaze destroyed all the students’ possessions, and only one of them had contents insurance.

In the seven days the auction was listed, it attracted more than 145,000 views and dozens of comments.

The comments ranged from queries about what the Marmite was smoked with to offers of help.

The bidding was as high as $210 at one point, but in a comment the highest bidder said his hand had been forced by his other half.

‘‘Boys I am in it. The wife has been on Trade Me and seen your auction. I have to ask you to remove my bid or she said I will have to live on that marmite for the rest of my days.’’

Mr Tuck said having the big bidder pull out near the end was ‘‘a bit of an anti-climax’’, but he was grateful for any money.

‘‘It is nowhere near what we thought we would get,’’ he said.

Running the auction had been tricky, due to his new flat not having internet yet.

‘‘I was watching [the auction end] at my girlfriend’s flat.’’

Answering all the comments had been fun, he said.

‘‘It has been a long process of answering questions every day, but it had to be done.

‘‘It’s actually been quite fun.’’

Mr Tuck said anyone who had bid on the Marmite or donated money were ‘‘awesome’’.

‘‘Everybody is just keen to help us out in some way.’’

The flatmates had not decided exactly what they would spend the money on yet.

Police are still trying to find who was responsible for the fire, and were asking the public to report any suspicious behaviour in the Morris and Ferguson St area which took place on August 31.

Anyone with information can call Palmerston North police on 06 351 3600 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, anonymously.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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