Southwick cat breeder Sue Smith was delighted to discover one of her cats had been picked to appear on a stamp in Southern Ireland, where it now lives.

Chocolate-coloured Persian queen Southkitty Candy, was sold to a breeder in Connemara, two years ago.

Mrs Smith recently heard that while at a cat show Candy had been picked to appear on the series of stamps celebrating the most popular pets in the world.

Mrs Smith, who lives in Southfields with her husband Martin, said: “I keep in touch with a lot of the people who take my cats.

“The stamps look really nice and it does make me proud to see her on a stamp. I am really pleased about it as it is not something that happens every day.”