Life in pictures l Obituary l Tributes l Her feats

“Indomitable . . . inspirational . . . amazing.” The words appeared again and again yesterday as friends and family joined charity workers, church leaders and even the Prime Minister in paying tribute to Jane Tomlinson, whose diagnosis of terminal cancer sparked seven years of outstanding athletic achievement.

She died on Monday, aged 43. Her family said yesterday that they were heartbroken at the death of the fundraiser, who defied experts after she was given only months to live in 2000. Mrs Tomlinson then proceeded to raise £1.75 million for cancer charities and won widespread admiration for competing in marathons and triathlons in spite of her disease.

Gordon Brown described the mother, who leaves behind three children, as a “daily inspiration” with “amazing spirit and strength”.

Mrs Tomlinson, from Rothwell, Leeds, first discovered that she had breast cancer in 1990 and had a mastectomy and lymph nodes removed from under her arm. The cancer returned in her breast in 1993 and spread to her lungs and bones in 2000.

Against expectations, Mrs Tomlinson went on to achieve punishing feats of endurance. Despite having little interest in athletics before her illness, she dedicated herself to raising money for charity through marathons, triathlons, a tandem ride from Rome to Leeds and, in her last challenge, a 4,200-mile bicycle ride from San Francisco to New York. She was appointed MBE for her work in June 2003 and CBE in June this year. Her husband, Mike, and children, Suzanne, 21, Rebecca, 19, and Steven, 10, said: “We are, as a family, heartbroken at this loss but we know this extends to all her family and friends. Seven years ago her aim was to leave us with fantastic memories.

“None of us expected how fantastic those would be. 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. Everyone who knew Jane felt there was invincibility about her, but we always knew that this day was inevitable.”

Charities helped by Mrs Tomlinson, including Sparks, a children’s medical research charity for which she raised £400,000, Cancer Research UK, Breast Cancer Care, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice in Sheffield, and Martin House Hospice near Boston Spa, all echoed the sentiments.

Maureen Rutter, regional director for Macmillan Cancer Support in the North, said: “Jane was a remarkable woman whose physical feats inspired many people living with cancer. She refused to lie down and be beaten.”

Ryan Bowd and Martyn Hollingworth, her co-riders in the Ride Across America, praised a woman, who “did amazing and remarkable things while suffering a pain that few can imagine”.

The Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Rev Arthur Roche, described Mrs Tomlinson’s cancer battle as Olympian. “She was a bright beam of light in the midst of a darkness that can so often accompany terminal illness,” he said.

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