CHURCH leaders have condemned online profiteers for attempting to sell orders of service for Richard III’s reburial for hundreds of pounds on eBay.

Dozens of copies of specially-printed card booklets produced for the series of high-profile services at Leicester Cathedral, where the king was reinterred on March 26, have been appearing on the internet auction site.

Some are being bundled together and listed as souvenir packs, along with a copy of a local newspaper, for £300 plus £2.50 postage.

The Dean of Leicester, the Very Rev David Monteith, said it was “sad” that people were trying to cash in on the extraordinary event.

He added that the cathedral is printing a full set of all three main service booklets, including March 22 when the king’s coffin first arrived in Leicester, for £12.50.

The Dean added that some of that money goes directly to the cathedral, which is still raising the £2.5 million it needs to pay for hosting the historic week of events and overhauling the old building.

“We’ve noticed that service booklets from the cathedral’s services are being sold for extortionate prices on eBay, presumably by those who attended the services,” he said.

“This is very sad - many would have welcomed being there and keeping this as a souvenir .”