Meet the real star of Cannes: Midge the one-eyed cat from Yorkshire with a passion for sprinting

Amidst all the daily news of fraudulent and corrupt politicians, recession and redundancies, the collapse of the global economy and a swine flu pandemic, it's so warming to come across a story like that above. A Yorkshire parish councillor named Martin Humphreys who races his one-eyed rescue cat Midge back from the shop each day, has made a short children's film featuring himself and Midge competing in one of their races. Made on a budget of just £1,000, The Great Race will be debuting before judges in the Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival.

Mr Humphreys is reported to be hoping The Great Race will be taken up by a movie company: "I truly believe this could be one of the greatest children's films of all time," he says.

Well, as one ex-runner to another, I for one have no intention of even trying to resist Midge's charm! Go cat!