1:25pm UK, Wednesday February 15, 2006

An unknown sales assistant and model has become the new face of action hero Lara Croft.

180 Shop assistant Karima Adebibe Lara Croft

Karima will travel the world

Karima Adebibe, 20, from Bethnal Green, east London, was chosen after a worldwide search.

The Top Shop workerwill be the latest in a line of stunners to portray the video game character.

Angelina Jolie starred as Lara in two film adaptions.

Glamour model Nell McAndrew has also promoted the game.

Adebibe's new job will involve travelling round the world for the next two years, posing as the fictional tomb raider.

She will take crash courses in SAS survival, firing guns and archaeology, as well as elocution and etiquette lessons, to portray the 11th generation countess.

Adebibe said: "It's a huge challenge to follow in the footsteps of people like Nell McAndrew and Angelina Jolie.

"But life is all about challenges and this is perhaps the biggest one for a model and actress."

Her appointment precedes the launch of the seventh Lara Croft game.