AN African villager who applied for work advertised in a year-old British newspaper wrapped around a loaf of bread was ``shocked but thrilled'' by a job offer yesterday.

Ghanaian 20-year-old Kwame Sapong's application arrived too late for the Nottinghamshire printing firm which placed the advert in the Nottingham Evening Post last year.

However, millionaire British publisher Felix Dennis was so impressed by Kwame's initiative that he offered to pay for a printing apprenticeship.

After several days trying to track down Kwame, his company, Dennis Publishing, finally made contact yesterday.

Spokeswoman Sarah Braben said: ``He was in shock when we first spoke to him. He was shy and very confused at first. He thought someone was playing a joke on him.

``When he realised we were serious, he was absolutely thrilled and totally delighted. It was a very, very nice conversation.''

Kwame is apprenticed to a small printing firm in the village where he lives. Ms Braben said they would find him a training post, probably with one of the big companies in Ghana.