Susie the cat fans turn out for book launch

Fans of a celebrity cat have been snapping up signed copies of a book about their favourite feline at a launch event.

Susie has a loving home but is well known in Dorchester and has become so popular, an illustrated book has been published about her adventures.

Its authors are three charity members who have learning disabilities and proceeds are going to their charity.

About a hundred people turned up for the first signing in Dorchester, and a further event is planned in Weymouth.

Susie moved from Upwey to Dorchester with her owners, Linda and Michael Crow, when they came to stay with their daughter, Jenny Graves, in 2023.

After moving, they were inundated with phone calls from people believing the cat was lost, so they changed her name tag to say: "Susie - Not lost, just adventurous."

Businesses and residents have described how the tabby cat "makes herself at home" and has a "favourite spot" in every premises.

Laura Kerr of People First Dorset - a charity that empowers people with learning disabilities - suggested writing about about Susie after she turned up at her fourth-floor flat.

It was only after phoning a local vet, who knew all about the animal's escapades, that she discovered Susie's celebrity status.

The book's authors Kerry Martin, William Parmiter and Emily Burr, of People First Dorset, worked with Weymouth artist Catherine Owen.

Ahead of Wednesday's launch, she said: "We wanted it to be a lovely, quality book, to celebrate Susie and to celebrate the charity and what we've achieved.

"We've had lovely feedback about the story, the illustrations.

"People First Dorset have a friendship group - the biggest thing they help with is people being able to meet their friends and do normal things together.

"Emily, Kerry and William already wrote for the Dorset Echo and really wanted to write about Susie because they were enchanted.

"It was about nine months from meeting to having a book in our hands, which is amazing, but we wanted to get it out for Christmas."

There will be a second book launch at the Dry Dock in St Thomas Street, Weymouth, on 1 November from 17:00 GMT.

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