Funeral held for campaigner who died in Jordan

Mourners have gathered for the funeral of a charity campaigner, who died following an accident in Jordan.

Claire Lomas, 44, raised nearly £1m for charity after she was paralysed in a horse riding accident in 2007, including completing the 2012 London Marathon in a bionic suit.

Her family previously said they had been left "absolutely devastated" by her death.

On Wednesday, family and friends gathered for the private ceremony in Loughborough, Leicestershire, followed by a celebration of her life at St Mary's Church in Melton Mowbray, where she lived.

Ms Lomas was told she would never walk again after she broke her back while competing in a riding event.

However, after her injury, she took part in a number of fundraising charity challenges, including the 2012 event in her bionic suit for Spinal Research.

She was also chosen to light the Paralympic flame in London in 2012.

She also completed the Great North Run in the specially-constructed suit, which supported her - and she was dubbed "the bionic woman" as a result of her feats.

There was no book of condolence at the celebration of her life. Instead, people were asked to write letters to Ms Lomas's two daughters with their memories of her and say how she had affected their lives.

Ex-England and Leicester Tigers rugby player Matt Hampson OBE was a friend of Ms Lomas.

He set up the Matt Hampson Foundation, after he was paralysed during rugby training, to help others who had suffered serious sporting injuries.

The charity funded the suit that Ms Lomas used to take on many of her challenges.

He told the BBC: "She didn't let anyone stop her and she always wanted to push the boundaries and show people you could live a great and fulfilled life.

"She was a great ambassador and she liked to do things her own way.

"I was really shocked when I heard she had died."

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