Hinton Park Woodland Burial Ground bends rules to allow memorial for much-loved cat Benji

FLOWERS can be left in memory of Benji the funeral cat after Hinton Park Woodland Burial Ground bent the rules against memorials being left for animals.

As reported in the A&T, there was an outpouring of grief at the news Benji had been killed on the roads, with lots of people recalling how the friendly feline had comforted them at the graveside.

Now people are being invited to lay flowers beside a bird bath he used to drink from where a temporary plaque has been added, describing him as the “purrfect cat”.

Southern Co-op, which runs the site, has permitted flowers to be left over the next four weeks and has given £100 to Lymington Cat and Kitten Rescue.

It does not normally allow animal memorials but after being informed by the A&T about Benji, it made an exception. The company also set up an online memorial webpage.

Southern Co-op said: “It has been heart-warming to hear of the positive experiences many people had with Benji.”

Benji’s owner, Tracey Lisa Fuller Jaques, said she was “absolutely thrilled”, saying: “It is wonderful that they are allowing Benji to be remembered in this way.

“The donation is also fantastic. It’s great that rescue cats are being helped in this way in Benji’s memory.”

She laid flowers at the site on Tuesday and heard how employees at the burial ground “still look out for him”, telling her: “We just can’t get used to the idea he is gone.”

She had been “utterly overwhelmed” by the support she had received after posting on social media about his death on the Queensway industrial estate earlier this month where he used to visit offices and warehouses.

Tracey said: “It seemed everyone in the local area knew him. He was far famous than I could ever have imagined.

“It has really helped me with the grief to hear all the lovely stories about him from far and wide.”

To share memories of Benji visit benjithecat.muchloved.com