An Italian mayor is offering to pay €2,000 to anyone willing to move to his village to stop it becoming deserted.

Daniele Galliano is trying to bolster the population in Bormida, a mountainous region in Liguria, north-west Italy, where just 394 people live.

He has floated the idea newcomers could pay just €50 (£42) a month to rent in the village alongside the welcome lump £1,700 sum.

The village has become somewhat of a ghost town as young people move out to the nearest cities to find work.

Mr Galliano said on his Facebook page the low rent scheme could be ready to be rolled out in a couple of months and would need approval from the local council.

One councillor told the Guardian: “We’re still working out the plan, but anyone is welcome to come and live here.

“We’re a small community but very welcoming.

“We’re high up in a mountain area but also not far from the sea – it’s a healthy lifestyle, the air is very clean.”

Mr Galliani’s Facebook post sparked excitement from social media users who said they would be keen to relocate to Bormida.

Vincent Gaspar posted: “Mr Mayor, I would certainly love to live there.

“I hope this bill goes through, because I will move there in a heartbeat.”

While Branko Gajic added: “I want to live there. I’m from Serbia and tell me what I should do to move there?”

One even said they would turn down the cash for a job in the town.Amedeo Alloca wrote: “Mr Mayor, I’m available to move and give up the €2,000, but I can’t live off air. I have a family with two small children, if you can guarantee a job, even the most humble one, it wouldn’t be a problem.”