A KIDDERMINSTER student has won a dream trip to South Africa to report on the World Cup for a national radio station.

James Roe, 21, of Franche, fought off competition from across the country to scoop the prize on Absolute Radio’s Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show.

As Sony Ericsson's “fly on the ball”, Mr Roe, who studies psychology at Liverpool University, will take part in Frank Skinner and David Baddiel’s Summer of Football podcasts and write an online blog.

He said: “It feels amazing to have won. It still hasn’t really sunk in. It’s unreal because you hear of people winning competitions like this but you never expect to win them yourself.

“It’s going to be the trip of a lifetime.”

He is set to attend all of England’s matches at the tournament in June and will give regular updates about his trip, live on air.

After hearing about the contest, he entered by recording a short audition video, explaining why he should be given the job.

His reasons included “wiping the smug grin” from the faces of his French girlfriend’s family by backing England to win the World Cup.

“Christian and the team seemed to like that - I was only joking but it got me noticed,” he said.

Mr Roe made it through to the live final on the breakfast show, up against three other contestants.

Over three rounds, he had to commentate on David Platt’s famous goal against Belgium in Italia 90, before rewriting and performing football anthem, Three Lions.

Finally, he was given a Mastermind-style quiz on his specialist subject - England’s qualifying route to this year’s World Cup.

Although the competition judges were impressed by Mr Roe’s football knowledge, he does not plan to pursue a career in sports reporting.

“I felt a bit bad because the other contestants were all trainee sports journalists,” he explained, “I would love to follow sport for a living but I’m looking to work in clinical psychology.”

A Liverpool fan since attending a game aged 11, Mr Roe has never been to a World Cup.

He is taking his brother, Ed, on the trip, which begins a week after his final psychology exam at university.

Mr O’Connell said: “James was faultless in the Mastermind round and we were amazed at how cool he remained under pressure.

“It’s hard not to feel a little bitter that it’s James going to South Africa and not me.”