World's smallest country up for sale

For sale: the world's smallest country with its own flag, stamps, currency and passports.

Apply to Prince Michael of Sealand if you want to
run your own storm-tossed nation - even if it is just a wartime fort perched on two concrete towers in the North Sea.

The owners of the world's "smallest state" - Sealand - have put the quasi-country up for sale, reports the BBC.

The former anti-aircraft platform, seven miles off the Essex coast, was taken over 40 years ago by retired Army major Paddy Roy Bates.

The so-called "independent state" of Sealand is currently home to an internet firm.

It was derelict until the 1960s when Mr Bates took over the 10,000 sq ft platform and declared it the independent nation of Sealand.

At the time, the platform was beyond the then three-mile limit of British territorial waters. All this changed in 1987, when the UK extended its territorial waters from three to 12 miles.

Sealand's current "head of state", Mr Bates' son Michael, said he was only 14 when they took over the platform, but now seemed the right time to sell up.

"Michael of Sealand" said the family were approached by a Spanish estate agents specializing in selling islands.

The firm, Inmonaranja, has put a price tag of 750m euros (£504m) on Sealand.