AN INVERKEITHING woman has been left heartbroken after her remarkable tabby cat was knocked down on the town's High Street.

Devastated Isabel Hardwick had written to the Press to tell us all about 13-year-old 'Gismo', who had made a name for himself with locals, to ask us to bring his exploits to a wider audience.

But just a few days later he was found dead on the side of the road.

The extraordinary pet was a true companion that would walk with Isabel to the shops and wait outside for her before following her back.

He even took her to the door of her doctor's surgery and dropped her off at the bus stop, before getting some waves off passers-by left amazed by the friendly cat.

Isabel, 68, of Back O'Yards, said: "He was everything to me.

"I asked the vet if they could give him an injection to bring him to life.

"A neighbour found him outside the Co-Op, I thought they might have CCTV, but they don't and there's nothing I can do. I am really angry."

When writing to the Press before the accident, Isabel described Gismo as her "proud" and "unique" cat, who she came to own as a kitten.

She wrote: "When I get ready to go out to the shops, he suddenly wakes up, and also likes to come shopping too.

"The community all know him and the school children, especially at lunchtimes.

"We go down to the shops and he is at my side all the time."

When Isabel went into the local shops, Gismo watched her go in. He'd then casually lie down and wait till she came back out.

Gismo was so well known that staff and locals would come and talk to him.

"When I cross the roads at the traffic lights, he only crosses when I do, and the passengers in the cars and buses give us a wave and a smile as they don't believe what they have just seen!" Isabel had written.

"Another time, myself, daughter and grand-daughter were having dinner in the Indian restaurant in the High Street, Gismo followed us down but waited patiently outside and was still waiting on us to go home two hours later.

"He is unreal!

"People have commented to me and said, 'Your cat should be on telly'.

"As I'm disabled, I've always said, instead of me looking after him, it's Gismo who is looking after me, so true.

"He's just my protector in my eyes, looking after me."