TRIBUTES have been paid to a hugely-popular cat who made hundreds of friends after setting up home at a railway station.

JoJo, a black and white stray, moved in at Southend Victoria Station in 2001 and split her time between the platform and the nearby British Transport Police office, in Victoria Avenue, and was a regular part of commuters’ journeys.

However, after the moggy had a short battle with flu, she was put to sleep late last month at Vets4Pets in Leigh.

The news comes as a blow to transport police officers from the railway who fed and watered her, as well as naming her.

In a bid to continue her legacy and to mark her death, officers are hoping to place photos along with a commemorative plaque in JoJo’s name at the station.

A donation will also be made to the Cats Protection League, who supported and helped provide healthcare for JoJo throughout her time on the tracks.

PC Maria Wheele, based at the Victoria Avenue office, says the team are devastated by the loss and have fond memories of Jojo’s time on the beat.

She said: “She was a ‘professor in morale boosting’ and she really helped us.

“Our job can be very demanding at the best of times, and she was always on hand to provide a bit of support.

“When she first arrived, she was very shy and didn’t like being picked up at all. But as time went on she made herself right at home and was a real adventure lover.

“You could see where she used to sleep as there would just be fur all over the place.

“She even used to take the train from Southend Victoria to Prittlewell and go off exploring and then have a walk back to the office.

Maria added that JoJo’s playful nature made her no trouble in the office and she would come and go as she pleased.

She said: “We would be sitting at our desks and she would just jump up and lie across all the paperwork, making it go everywhere. She would be waiting at the door for you to let her in and out.

“But we didn’t mind at all, because she was a part of the team.

“We even created her own Facebook pages as she got quite a name for herself.

“Because she was so well known, that’s why we decided to set up a fundraiser to mark her passing.

“We originally had a target of about £200, but people have been so generous, that we have actually raised more than double that already.

“So we’ll obviously pay for the memorial first, and then the difference will go to the Cats Protection League.

“We’d like to thank everybody who has kindly donated to the page.”

For more information on the memorial, or to donate to the British Transport Police’s appeal, visit crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Jojo-southendvictoria.