A SOUTH Lakeland youngster has featured in a national Japanese newspaper after his quest to find a pen pal caught the attention of the country's media.

Liam Slater, who readily greets - and surprises - Japanese visitors in their native tongue, is just nine years old, and is already gripped by an insatiable curiosity about the Far Eastern language, culture and people.

But pouring over The Daily Yomiuri and copying the script was not enough for the Ambleside Primary School pupil, who decided to write to the paper, which he regularly spends half his pocket money on, and ask for help in finding a Japanese pen friend.

But instead of simply returning a few addresses, a reporter from the broadsheet's London offices phoned for an interview about Liam's hobbies and life in the Lake District.

She also asked if the paper could publish a comic-style sketch he had drawn and sent her.

"I was just amazed," he said.

"I thought they would just give me a couple of numbers to try and see if they were interested.

I didn't think I would get put in the newspaper."

But despite his excitement over the press coverage, Liam is still waiting for news of a Japanese pen friend.

"I want to see what his house is like, what schools are like and what they do after school," he said.