MERE months ago, she was a receptionist at a golf club.

Now, she's playing, in her own words, "the sexiest game heroine there is". Meet Allison Carroll, the new Lara Croft - the ultimate woman in the eyes of many hot-blooded males.

"Because she simply has it all, every man wants to meet her and every woman aspires to be her," the 23-year-old from Croydon, England, told The New Paper in an e-mail interview.

Croft is a fictional archaeologist and adventurer from the Tomb Raider games. The latest and eighth of the series, Tomb Raider: Underworld, is expected to be released next month.

She admitted transforming from a receptionist to Lara Croft is a "huge leap".

"But I'm grasping it with both hands and enjoying the challenge," she said. Singaporeans will get to see the gorgeous, curvy Briton in the flesh as she will be in Singapore for X08, a massive showcase of new Xbox 360 games at Marina Square from 24 to 26 Oct.

Other than Tomb Raider: Underworld, some of the more than 30 games include Gears Of War 2, Guitar Hero World Tour and Need For Speed Undercover.

Carroll beat hundreds of other girls to replace English actress and model Karima Adebibe for the role. She's the first one who may actually be able to do back flips like the in game character, unlike the other Crofts before her.

They include Rhona Mitra, Nell McAndrew and most famously Angelina Jolie, who starred in the two spin-off movies.

Carroll is a former gymnast with more than 12 years of training. She has represented her country, the Daily Mail reported.

She's not much of a gamer though. She said: "I have played video games and have been playing Tomb Raider: Anniversary, but I'm much better at the real thing."

On the day she was due to meet the game's producers, she got locked in her first floor flat. She had to escape by climbing out of her window and jump out of her balcony, she told The Sun.

She trains six days a week for the role, including learning the basics of archaeology and some Special Air Service (elite British military unit) training.

She told The Sun that she isn't looking for a long-term relationship as most men can't keep up with her. But she expects her new role to get her "a few more dates". It seems to be working - she said she just went on a date and is looking forward to what happens next.

Does she think she's a sex symbol or just playing one?

"I'm just an ordinary girl who's using my acting skills to take on the persona of in-game Lara Croft, just as Angelina Jolie did for the film," she said.

Since she's playing the ultimate woman, what is for her the ultimate man?

"Probably someone who's very similar to Lara Croft - adventurous, outgoing and athletic," she said.

But don't worry gamers - she doesn't rule out dating computer game geeks.

"It depends if the right one comes along," she said.

This story was first published in The New Paper on 18 October 2008.