Italy kidnappers 'tried to auction off UK model online'

A British model was kidnapped in Milan and detained for six days as her captor tried to auction her off online, Italian police have said.

The 20-year-old woman was attacked on July 11 by two men as she attended an arranged photo shoot.

She is believed to have been drugged and transported in a bag to Borgial, an isolated village near Turin, before being released on July 17.

A 30-year-old Polish man, said to be a resident in Britain, was arrested on July 18 on suspicion of kidnap and extortion, state police said.

It is alleged two men tried to sell the woman online for more than 300,000 dollars (£230,000) and demanded the model's agent pay to secure her safe release.

The woman was kept handcuffed to furniture but was freed after six days and taken to the British embassy in Milan, despite the ransom not being paid.

It has been reported that the captor demanded £50,000 upon the woman's release and threatened to kill her if she told police about the incident.

Italian police said they are working with officials in Britain and Poland as they continue to investigate.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We have been providing consular support to a British woman in Italy and are in touch with local authorities."