Britney offered 'Jolie-style' birth

Namibia is to invite Britney Spears to have her baby in the African nation, following in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie.

Reports last week that the pop princess was looking into giving birth there were denied, and the tourism official who announced her interest said he may have been the victim of a hoax.

But Leon Jooste said he was going to get in touch with the star and make an offer anyway.

"I am actually going to call and invite them to see if they would like to come," the deputy environment and tourism minister said.

He said he made his original statement after getting a phone call from the US on Monday.

"Somebody told me that she is interested in coming to Namibia and that they would contact me in the next two weeks," Mr Jooste said.

But he never got a name or contact information because of the line was so bad.
Spears' publicist, Leslie Sloane Zelnik, denied the 24-year-old had expressed an interest in travelling to Namibia.

The star, who is expecting her second child with husband and wannabe rapper Kevin Federline, has repeatedly come under fire in the media over her parenting skills.

Last week she used a TV interview to plead tearfully with the paparazzi to leave her alone.

Namibia, where Jolie and partner Brad Pitt were shielded by the government from the snappers, might provide a welcome haven.

Foreign journalists wanting to cover the birth of Jolie's daughter Shiloh had to get written permission from the couple to get a visa.

"We have a little niche tourism market that we are developing now," Mr Jooste said.

He joked that he might resign and start a company marketing celebrity holidays in Africa.