Claire Lomas: Fundraiser who made nearly £1m for charity after being paralysed in horse riding accident dies aged 44

Her family say Claire died following an accident in Jordan, in the middle east, on the morning of Thursday August 22. Claire lived at Eye Kettleby with husband Dan and their two young daughters, Maisie and Chloe.

A statement given to NationalWorld’s sister title the Melton Times on behalf of Claire’s family, including her parents Martin and Joyce, reads: “We are absolutely devastated to lose Claire.

“We would ask people to respect our privacy in the coming days to allow us to grieve in peace.”

The family say a funeral will be held at St Mary’s Church, in Melton Mowbray, on a date yet to be finalised. We have been asked by Claire’s family to advise other media outlets not to contact them until further notice.

Before her paralysis, Claire had a career as a chiropractor and she competed at a high standard in three-day eventing.

Her life changed in May 2007 when she hit a tree while riding in the Osberton Horse Trials in Nottinghamshire. Claire was paralysed from the chest down and went through a long period of depression, as she details in her first book, Finding My Feet.

She decided to channel her energies into raising money for a cause for paralysis through the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation (NSIF).

Claire made headlines worldwide in 2012 when remarkably she became the first paralysed person to walk the London Marathon in a robotic suit – it took her 17 days and she raised £220K for the NSIF.

She went on to complete the Great North Run and Great South Run in the robotic suit after that and also handcycled 400 miles around the UK in another amazing fundraiser.

Claire was made an MBE in 2017 for her fundraising and after presenting her with it Prince William said he was honoured to meet her. She was never put off by her disability and learned to ride motorcycles at speed and skiing on adapted skis. Claire had also built a reputation as a motivational speaker and travelled the country giving talks.