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Football club Blyth Spartans has landed a new sponsor - a firm promoting trips to North Korea.

Fans were left stunned when the new billboard appeared at Croft Park on Boxing Day.

The club has since confirmed it isn't a prank - and fans have seen the funny side.

"We've had a few comments about possibly serving dog at the next match," admitted Mark Scott, the club's commercial manager.

He was the first to be approached about the new billboard after receiving a mysterious email from a potential advertiser.

(Image: Evening Chronicle)

"It was very cryptic, stating they wanted to advertise but wouldn't say what it was," said Mark.

"I said as long as it wasn't illegal or offensive, I didn't care who we sold it too."

It turned out to be a University of Sunderland student behind the website, visitthedprk.org.

The firm runs travel packages to the secretive Asian state.

The country is largely closed off, while Amnesty International has slammed its appalling record on human rights.

But crucially for non-league Spartans, the advertiser paid the £150 fee upfront.

And Mark added: "Who am I to judge?

"The guy running this is going over to visit the country, not shake hands with Kim Jong-un, so we have no problem with it."

(Image: AP)

And seemingly, nor do the fans.

Some even posted mock-up pictures of the Supreme Leader in a Blyth shirt.

But one questioned how effective the campaign will be, tweeting: "You’d struggle to get anyone to visit Ashington in here never mind PRNK".

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Regardless, Mark is pleased with the investment and said the deal was done "very professionally".

The club even issued a statement - and wrote in the matchday programme - to reassure fans the link-up wasn't some Pyongyang ploy.

Signed by Mark, it read: "Visit North Korea provides expert led travel with an emphasis on engagement in the world's most secretive country – The Democratic Republic of Korea.

"Having never visited the Far East before I was quickly calling club Chairman Tony Platten who had just returned from Japan and Nepal to reveal the latest enquiry and he was as intrigued as me.

"Having seen the recent Michael Palin documentary I was certainly interested by the country despite negative views on the country’s politics."

The travel firm, which has over 10,000 Facebook followers, offers packages costing up to £2,495 to visit North Korea.

Some packages even allow students to study at a North Korean university in "one of the most surreal learning experiences possible".

A statement from the firm said: "Although it is unique and unconventional, Visit North Korea is nevertheless proud to be able to help support the great English game at a local level.

"In the process, by promoting our program we aim to help people broaden their horizons and think differently about the world."

However for Mark and Blyth Spartans, the deal is already proving a winner.

"He's used us to gauge a response, and we are fairly cheap - he didn't want to chuck money at Sunderland or Newcastle," he added.

"And us and them are both getting publicity off it - and any publicity is good publicity."

North Korea's £1.3m embassy in North London was contacted for comment.