A TRUCK driver is appealing to the owners of a 'beautiful’ cat he found dead on the A35 to come forward.

Tony Lauricella was driving his Royal Mail truck on the A35 early this morning, Friday, July 28, at 5.30am when he saw the body of a cat on the road.

It was discovered close to the A354 Blandford Road slipway on the main road.

Tony turned around and came back on the other side of the road to pick the cat’s body up and safely place it on the roadside.

He describes the cat as ‘large and fluffy’ and bronze gold in colour with ‘circular patterns’.

Tony, of Bournemouth, said: “It was like a leopard cat, it was so fluffy, such a beautiful looking cat. At first I thought ‘that’s a fox’.

“I came back and picked it up so that people can see it and the owners can find it and give it a proper burial.

“Whoever the owners are, I’m sure they loved that cat to bits.”

The cat was moved to the side of the sliproad off the A35 which leads to the A354.

It was respectfully placed in a paved area close to some bushes, he said.