HIS identity remains unknown but he must be a die-hard - and well off - West Ham United supporter after an anonymous bidder paid a record £57,000 for a number plate which spells out WE57 HAM.

The registration plate was one of many which went under the auctioneer's hammer at a special auction held at Down Hall Country House Hotel, Hatfield Heath, yesterday (Friday).

A fierce bidding war erupted at the DVLA Personalised Registrations sale as dozens of die fans of the Upton Park club battled it out for the ultimate Hammers status symbol.

And that sent the price rocketing and forced the winning bidder, who bid anonymously over the internet, to smash the previous record for a football-related registration - the £36,000 paid for AR53 NAL in 2004.

Damian Lawson, Marketing Manager for DVLA Personalised Registrations, was delighted by the huge sum fetched by the star 'lot'.

He said: "The atmosphere in the auction room was electric - it was like a cup final.

"The fans bidding showed the same passion they do on the terraces and we could only watch as the price kept on rising and rising.

"We knew there was going to be a lot of interest and we thought there was a good chance the plate could knock AR53 NAL off the top of the table but we couldn't believe just how much it went for."