GERALD, the striped Bengal cat who became world famous as York's 'Minster cat', is to be commemorated in stone.

Freelance York stone carver Anthony Bartyla has already made an initial clay sculpture of Gerald, who died last year.

He is now carving the much-loved cat in stone. He says his carving will eventually stand at the entrance to Holy Trinity Church in Goodramgate.

Gerald, a six-year-old Bengal cat belonging to Justine Spencer, came to York with his brother Donald when Justine moved to the city in 2017. He became a familiar figure around the Minster and the Minster stoneyard, and was unofficially adopted as the Minster cat.

Gerald was sadly found dead near St Michael le Belfrey Church, next to the Minster, at the end of August last year..

A few days later the Minster bells tolled to mark his death. Justine told The Press she had received messages from across the world from visitors who had seen him patrolling around the cathedral in his prime.

The Dean of York even gave permission for Gerald to be buried in Dean's Park.

Now Anthony's stone representation of him, crouched and with face raised in an alert stare, will ensure he is remembered by future generations.

Anthony, who set up his own stone-carving business in a tiny garden workshop in 2013, began work on his model of Gerald before Christmas.

He studied photographs and learned about the way Bengal cats move and walk, then created this clay model of Gerald. Anthony's friend Mike Marley, a member of the Press Camera Club, photographed him at work.

Anthony will now carve Gerald in stone, using his model to produce templates. "It will take about two weeks," he said.