OFFERS of help and donations have been 'pawing' in after plans to make a statue of a much-loved Leigh cat were revealed.

Black and white moggy Solomon had established himself as a 'local celebrity' before he was killed by a car at the age of one last month, with his antics visiting a wide range of places in the town centre popular on social media.

Lee Robert McStein, 31, who co-owns 3D model making business Monuments Men in Leigh, has pledged to build a statue of Solomon as a fitting tribute to the impact the cat had in the town in his short life and has been overwhelmed with the level of support he has received for the pet project.

He has been offered money and materials to help him create the statue and already has four designs for the memorial, which he intends to put up for a public vote to decide which one is best.

Lee said: “I am blown away by the feedback I have received about this. I have had so much support from the community, as well as from Solomon’s family.

“It is so fantastic how the community has grouped together on this. It just goes to show how much of a local celebrity and how popular Solomon was.

“I now have four designs for the statue and I will be putting them up for a vote next week so the people of Leigh can decide which they like best, but first I have to check that his owners like them.

“I would like to thank people for sending in their pictures of Solomon.

"I have now chosen one of the photographs to be engraved but a plinth is still needed for the statue to sit on.

“I am still talking to various companies and St Mary the Virgin, the parish church in Leigh that Solomon often visited, to finalise where the statue will be placed.

"But the memorial will definitely rest somewhere in the area Solomon loved so much.

“Once I have found out how much I need to make the statue a reality I will be setting up a GoFundMe page to raise the required amount.

“I have already received offers of donations and materials and I hope the community will continue to support these plans.”

You can show your support by e-mailing monumentmen.initial@gmail.com using the title ‘Solomon statue’.