Owner of Benji, the Hinton Park Woodland Burial Ground cat, inundated with messages after his death

THE owner of a friendly cat which brought comfort to mourners at Hinton Park Woodland Burial Ground has been overwhelmed with messages of support after her pet was killed on the roads.

Benji the Bengal became well known for attending funerals at the Walkford site and accompanying people on visits to their loved one’s graves, with many saying he helped them with their grief.

When owner Tracey Lisa Fuller Jaques posted on social media about his death, she was shocked to be inundated with people telling her what Benji had meant to them.

She told the A&T: “I knew he was popular, but I never imagined he had become as famous in the local area as he was.

"Reading the stories about how he had given so much comfort to people has helped with the pain of losing him.

"I am so proud that he was so loved by the community.

“He was such a special cat. I have four others but there will never be another like Benji.”

Benji was run over on the Queensway industrial estate in New Milton where he was known to visit offices and warehouses.

Many employees posted photos of him online and said how much they enjoyed his visits after learning of his death.

James Beeson, who runs Bspoke personal training on the estate, shared a video of Benji sitting on the shoulders of customer Julia Browne as she worked out.

He said: “Benji was the loveliest cat – we named him ‘gym cat’. He would jump on people's shoulders as they worked out; we will all miss him.”

Tracey, from New Milton, said she had been "totally devastated” by three-year-old Benji’s death last Tuesday.

She said: “He had spent all day Monday sitting with a girl in an office on the estate. Then the next morning he went out, and I got a call about 11.30am that he had been found dead.

“I was hoping and hoping it was a mistake, but it was him. My daughters are heartbroken – they adored him.”

She said she hoped to be able to scatter his ashes at Hinton Park, saying: “I think he thought he worked there. It was like a second home for him.

“People are calling for a permanent memorial to him there, which I would love.”

Amanda Lilley was one of those whom Benji comforted on visits to the grave of her best friend, Lizzie.

She said: “Lizzie absolutely loved cats. I was standing at her grave and I heard this enormous purr and suddenly Benji jumped on my shoulder, then he lay down on her grave.

“I was so happy – it was like a sign from Lizzie that everything was alright.”

Others have also commented on how much joy he gave them, including Stu Grewcock who said: “Such a wonderful cat who added a ray of sunshine when visiting my father’s grave.”

Rowena Stewart added: “We buried my Papa last month, and at the service he followed us everywhere. When we went back to lay flowers, he even hopped in my car.

"He was a gorgeous cat.”