The Wild West could meet the West Riding if Bradford actor Ken Kitson gets financial backing for his new film.

Ken, who has a long list of theatre, film and television credits to his name including parts in hit films Brassed Off and When Saturday Comes, has spent seven years writing his first ever script - Dream Catcher.

And he is now asking local businesses to invest in the project which he hopes will be the next Yorkshire blockbuster movie.

Filming on the project could start as early as next May.

Dream Catcher tells the story of Will Case, an unemployed Bradford divorcee disillusioned with society and who, despite the disdain of friends and family, persists in living his life by a romanticised version of the code of the West, dressing like a cowboy and taking part in quick-draw competitions.

Despite the inevitable dramas, love and Will's basic good-heartedness win through. Ken has penned the part with himself in mind for the leading role.

The 54-year-old of Henry Street, Thornton, who prefers acting to writing, said: "I was brought up with Westerns. My dad used to take me to see them at the old Odeon cinema in Manchester Road and I liked all the great actors - John Wayne, Burt Lancaster and Charles Bronson.

"Dream Catcher is a genuine family movie set in Yorkshire and, ideally, I would love to raise all the funds from Yorkshire, or at least Great Britain," said Ken, who has appeared in the highly acclaimed GBH, Ripping Yarns, The Bill, The Sweeney, Minder and Coronation Street.

"The Full Monty, Brassed Off and Little Voice have shown just how commercially successful these lower budget films can be. My goal would be that Dream Catcher would be one of the first totally British films to be financed in this country, possibly since the Ealing studio era. My own dream is to see Dream Catcher go into production and that it will be a hit that Yorkshire can genuinely be proud of."

Ken has already attracted the backing of several well-known television actors who met up in a London theatre to read through the 1hr 40m script. These included Coronation Street's Hilda Ogden - actress Jean Alexander - Young Ones star Chris Ryan and Ruth Rendell actor George Baker. Director of Emmerdale Tim Dowd has expressed an interest.

Former Shadows drummer Brian Bennett and former lead singer of Bradford group Smokie, Chris Norman, are involved in the film's soundtrack.

Dream Catcher already has the backing of a businessman with a coincidental connection. Terry Dixon, general manager of To Catch A Dream beds and bedroom furnishing stores contacted Ken after hearing about the film.

He said: "It was the coincidence of the title of the film and the name of our stores that attracted me. After meeting Ken and witnessing his enthusiasm, we decided to invest in the project."

Ken's initial target is to raise £50,000 - £20,000 of which he has already managed. This development money will help him run his office, pay staff wages and media lawyers. Investors are guaranteed a 50 per cent return on top of their investment - a minimum £1,000 will be repaid on the first day of filming. The next task is to raise the £2 million required to make the film, but backers are confident this will not pose a problem.

Two Bradford businessmen - Steve Lojik from the Pantry Caf in Bradford and Morris Willan from The Gold Shop in Wakefield Road - have already invested.