Community raises £15k for 'beloved cat' statue

Dexter enjoyed dropping into shops, restaurants and hotels, snoozing in sunny doorways, and claiming every comfy chair he could find

Thousands of pounds have been raised to fund a statue of Windsor's "beloved" cat.

Dexter the cat roamed around the Berkshire town for years, with his adventures documented on social media.

The feline favourite recently died when he was hit by a car, and since then there has been an outpouring of support online with more than £15,000 raised to help the town remember him.

His owner Kirsty Jarvis said he was a "special part of the community".

Ms Jarvis said Dexter loved "snuggling up on a chair, jumping on people's laps and was happy to be stroked by anyone".

"In the middle of quite a busy town centre, it is quite unusual to see a cat so at home with the public," she continued.

Initially, Ms Jarvis wanted to keep Dexter as a house cat but she said "he had a calling to be part of the town".

"I'd rather he had the 13 amazing years that he had, being free to wander and to have the impact he has had on so many people versus 20 years as a house cat," she said.

She added: "He started to go to the local pub, then he ventured in, day by day, a little bit further, so I had the bright idea that I'd put him on Twitter.

"So, that when people saw him and found him, they could upload photos and use his hashtag which was DextSpot for spotting Dexter.

"I didn't intentionally make him a celebrity, the reason I put him on social media was to try and keep him as safe as possible.

"Dexter made friends absolutely everywhere he went. He wasn't just my cat - somehow he became everyone's."

More than £15,000 has been raised to commission a life-size outdoor statue of Dexter

A spokesperson for Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council said: "Dexter was a beloved and integral part of the Windsor community and we are saddened to hear of his passing.

"We know so many residents and visitors enjoyed seeing him strolling through the streets or curled up in a shop window, and we will miss his presence in the town.

"The council would be happy to support the possibility of a lasting reminder of Dexter and his legacy."