JOBCENTRE Plus is now offering more overseas employment opportunities than ever before.

Among the many hundreds of vacancies one in particular stood out – a patrolling watchman/porter based at Les Trois Vallees high in the French Alps to cover the busy December to January holiday period.

One of the duties was making sure all areas around the hotel are kept clear of snow and ice.

There will be few takers for this job though, especially as a similar snow shovelling position in Britain was advertised only last year and was rejected by numerous applicants.

Their argument was strong enough. As the job centre did not offer them the snow shovelling job in the summer, they’d be right mugs to take it in the winter.

Stephen Dixon, Redcar