The inspirational former international event rider Claire Lomas MBE has died at the age of 44.
In a statement sent to the Melton Times, her devastated family said Claire died as a result of an accident in Jordan on 22 August.
Claire was a successful advanced eventer who suffered a spinal cord injury in a fall in 2007 and was paralysed from the chest down. She went on to fundraise over £900,000 and became a motivational speaker.
Claire was a chiropractor before her fall and had competed up to four-star (now five-star) level.
She made headlines all over the world in 2012 when she completed the London Marathon in 17 days in a robotic walking suit, raising £220,000 for charity. The next year, she completed a 400-mile hand-cycle through England, raising £85,000. She completed the Great North Run in five days, the Great South Run by walking through the night and the Greater Manchester Marathon. She was appointed MBE in 2017 for her fundraising efforts.
Claire wrote two books and spoke at events across the world; she also achieved her motorbike race licence and private pilot’s licence. She married Dan, whom she met a year after her fall, and had two daughters, Maisie and Chloe.
“We are absolutely devastated to lose Claire,” her family told the Melton Times.
“We would ask people to respect our privacy in the coming days to allow us to grieve in peace.”
Claire’s funeral will be held at St Mary’s Church, Melton Mowbray. The Melton Times was asked by her family to advise other media outlets not to contact them until further notice.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
