Tributes paid to 'formidable character' Claire Lomas ahead of celebration of life service

Speaking to ITV News Central ahead of Claire Lomas' church service, Matt Hampson OBE described her as 'feisty' and full of 'heart'.

A "formidable character" is how a friend of Leicestershire record-breaker and fundraiser Claire Lomas will remember her, following her death after an accident in the Middle East.

A church service to celebrate her life will take place in Melton Mowbray on Wednesday 2 October. Claire died on August 22, following an accident in Jordan. She was 44-years-old.

She raised nearly a million pounds for charity after being paralysed in a horse riding accident in 2007.

She famously walked the London Marathon in 2012 wearing a "bionic suit."

Inquest opened into fundraiser and record-breaker Claire Lomas' death

  • Speaking to ITV News Central ahead of her church service, Matt Hampson described her as 'feisty' and full of 'heart'.

Ms Lomas was a beneficiary of the Matt Hampson Foundation, which was founded by the former England and Leicester Tigers rugby player.

Matt was paralysed from the neck down after a training accident at the age of 20.

Paying tribute to Claire, Matt said: "She really went out of her way to support other people and show people you could live a great and fulfilled life after a serious injury."

'She was an amazing person to be around - she had a great energy and zest for life,' Matt Hampson pays tribute to Claire Lomas

Speaking of their bond, he said: "She wanted to live life to the full...she was a formidable character, who led from the front and was very much a leader.

"We could resonate with each other and understand each other from a sporting background and we understood life was never going to be the same again after our injuries.

"But we also understood that life was brilliant and you could go on and achieve great things even if it may not have been the path that you originally thought you were going to go on."

Matt described Claire's smile as "infectious."

He said she'd want to be remembered as someone who "wanted to live life her way".

Matt said: "She was a very feisty, formable character, but one who had a lot of heart and was an amazing person to be around - she had a great energy and zest for life."

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