Jane Tomlinson dies

Sep 4 2007

Jane Tomlinson with her husband Mike at York races. Picture: John Giles/PA Wire _180

Crosby-born charity fundraiser Jane Tomlinson has died, seven years after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Mrs Tomlinson, 43, from Rothwell, who raised £1.75m for charity, died at St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds at 9pm on Monday.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown led the nation’s tributes to the mother-of-three, saying he was saddened by her death and paying tribute to her “amazing spirit and strength”.

He said: “Jane’s mission in life was a simple one: to make the most of every day and to help others, and she not only achieved that several times over, but inspired millions of others along the way.”

Mrs Tomlinson’s husband, Mike, and children, Suzanne, Rebecca and Steven, said in a statement: “Jane has always said her family has been the greatest joy in life and we feel honoured to have been blessed with such a wonderful person.”

They added: “The weight of this burden has been immense on all of us, but primarily Jane. We hope that she is now at peace from the pain that has accompanied her for so long.”

Ryan Bowd and Martyn Hollingworth, co-riders with Mrs Tomlinson in her gruelling 4,200-mile Ride Across America, said: “Jane was, is and shall continue to be an inspiration. She exemplified qualities of the human spirit that most people can only aspire to.”

A spokesman for children’s medical research charity Sparks said: “She will be deeply missed and of course we are extremely grateful for her work.

“The word inspirational is too easily used but not in this case, she was a remarkable woman.”

Mrs Tomlinson was diagnosed with breast cancer 17 years ago and told the cancer was terminal in 2000. Over the last five years, she undertook a series of endurance events to raise money for charity. She received a CBE for her work in June this year.