PEOPLE can — literally — buy a piece of Bolton today when a very special number plate goes under the hammer.

The DVLA is auctioning the one-off personalised registration number BO11 TON.

It has a reserve price of £1,000 — and could be sold for considerably more.

Jody Davies, DVLA personalised registrations events manager, said: “Our registration BO11 TON is as close to the name Bolton as you are possibly going to get, and so it would be perfect for anyone with a close affection to the town to place on their vehicle.”

The unusual number plate is one of 1,500 being auctioned by the DVLA at the De Vere Village Hotel, in Leeds, during a three-day sale which starts today.

And it has already gathered some famous fans.

Bolton boxing star Amir Khan said: “I already have a few personalised number plates, one saying BOXING and another saying 47 AK. But I think any Boltonian would be proud to have this one on their vehicle to show their support for the town or Bolton Wanderers.”

Wanderers captain Kevin Davies said: “This is a really impressive number plate and whoever buys it will clearly have great affection for Bolton. It is a great number plate for a great town.”

However, drivers from across the town were not as keen to pay so much for the personalised plate. Sharon Jones, aged 50, of Great Lever, said: “I would love a personalised number plate because that would mean something to me, but I’m not sure I would want one with Bolton on it.

“But my son-in-law would love it because he’s a massive Bolton Wanderers fan.” Philip Jones, aged 52 of Great Lever, said: “I wouldn’t want it unless it said Man United on it, but that’s because I’m originally from Salford.

“But I can understand why a Wanderers fan or football player would want it. Maybe someone like Kevin Davies. I can see him with it on his car.” Len Gaskell, aged 70 from Sharples, said: “I’d pay £30 for that, but I wouldn’t pay £1,000.

“If I saw someone with that, I would say they should have gone to Spec Savers. I looked into getting LEN 1, but it would have cost about £15,000. It was a ridiculous amount of money.”

The money raised by the auction — which also includes the plates 500, with a reserve price of £3,000, and DU12 HAM, HA11 FAX, RE13 ECA, all of which have a reserve price of £1,000 — will be ploughed back into the Treasury.