Leading prize for 'Homeric' story

The Sierra Leone writer Olufemi Terry has won the Caine Prize for African Writing, Africa's leading literary award.

His short story, "Stickfighting Days", was described by judges as "Homeric in its scale and conception".

Terry beat 115 entries from 13 countries to win the £10,000 prize, which is given annually for a short story published in English by an African writer.

Announcing the winner at Oxford University, the chairwoman of the judging panel, Fiammetta Rocco, said: "Terry's story is ambitious, brave and hugely imaginative. The execution of the story is tight, its presentation cinematic and confirms him as a talent with an enormous future."

Terry said he was overwhelmed by the prize, and hoped it would help him get his first novel published.

The writer, who lives in Cape Town, works as a journalist. He was born in Sierra Leone, but grew up in Nigeria, Britain and Cote d'Ivoire.