Tributes have flowed for much-loved donkey Alfie, who passed away yesterday, Tuesday.
Alfie died on his favourite stomping ground, Minchinhampton Common, where he has been a familiar four-legged animal for more than 20 years.
Minchinhampton Golf Course greenskeeper Heath Taylor led the tributes to Alfie, he said: “It is with heartfelt sadness that Alfie has passed away peacefully on the common.
“I started work at Minchinhampton Golf Club on the Common in 2009 and not long after, I met Alfie, he was on the common to keep the horses in tow and did it to perfection. He would always look like he was on his own amongst all the horses, but no, he was the boss.”
Scroll through Alfie’s picture gallery by Deborah Escamilla
A staple figure on the common, Alfie, who was understood to be over 40 years of age, had become somewhat of a tourist attraction with visitors often stopping to feed him ice cream and pose for a selfie with the esteemed donkey, Heath added: “I witnessed over the years that many tourists were always attracted to Alfie and he milked every minute of it.”
Alfie had certainly lived a charmed life – surviving a number of accidents with cars: “Alfie, over the last couple of years suffered injuries from inconsiderate, ignorant and impatient drivers, but as sad as His passing, it is some blessing he passed away so naturally.”
Stroud artist Alex Merry who designed a front cover drawing of Alfie for Good on Paper, lamented his loss: “Good on Paper commissioned it for their December cover and I spent a lovely afternoon hanging out with Alfie, taking reference pictures for his portrait. I love how he thought he was one of the horses and he was such a lovely soul.”
Deborah Escamilla who captured our cover picture of Alfie said: “Poor Alfie, he will be greatly missed by many.”
