The Cat Races - Marty and Midge

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Video (3min)

"A one-eyed cat and her owner's shared passion for running could make them the unlikely stars of the Cannes Film Festival later this month.

Wrose parish councillor Martin Humphreys and his rescue cat Midge have become such close companions, his feline friend follows him wherever he goes.

The two can regularly be spotted racing each other along Snowden Road, in Wrose, near Mr Humphrey's cottage.

After winning O2's Dreamcatcher competition, which gives employees £1,000 to help fulfil a dream, Mr Humphreys decided to make a childrens film called The Great Race, featuring himself and Midge competing in one of their races.

Mr Humphreys feels so confident of the eight-minute film's potential to become a successful childrens feature he is showing it in the Short Film Corner at Cannes later this month in the hope it will be taken up by a big movie company.

He said: We have been running together for about five years and although I dont want to give too much about the ending, Midge always wins our races.

But I hope this is just the beginning.

I truly believe this could be a great childrens film.

Midge was spotted by Mr Humphreys, who works for O2's business support centre, at a cat rescue centre in Bradford 12 years ago.

Mr Humphreys said the racing started when Midge used to follow him to the shop and wait for him outside on a wall.

He said: When I came back because she was on a wall she jumped down and sometimes she would run.

One of the times I decided to run with her and I was trying to overtake her and I swear, she accelerated and she wouldn't let me beat her.

So now when I come back from the shop I get in front of her a little bit, whistle and then she starts running.

Mr Humphreys had the film made by Motus TV in Oulton, near Leeds, and wrote the soundtrack which was then sung by a childrens choir, the Theatre Works Singers from Castleford.