Moving goodbye to fitness fanatic who died after marathon

A picture of Lisa Calladine and her trainers were among the tributes at her funeral

Those were the moving sentiments as almost 300 people turned out to say goodbye to Lisa Calladine.

Mourners at St Thomas a Becket Church in Warblington dressed in purple as it was Lisa’s favourite colour.

And last night the Spinnaker Tower radiated purple in memory of the popular fitness fanatic.

The 36-year-old died last month, just days after completing the Brighton Marathon.

Despite several GP visits expressing her fears that she had deep vein thrombosis, she was sent away and later died of the condition.

The hearse was decorated in flowers with the word ‘ninja’, which was one of her nicknames. Her pink trainers were among the tributes.

The service heard how Lisa, a sales co-ordinator from Bedhampton, was ‘inspiring, kind and vibrant’ and two of her passions were her career and body combat.

She would be in the gym most mornings at 6.30am.

Celebrant Janice Cubis said completing the Brighton Marathon was a huge achievement.

She said: ‘Although in pain, Lisa was determined to reach the finish line. She would not give up because it was in aid of charity.’

Lisa’s brother, Kris Calladine, said: ‘Her motto was “believe and achieve”.

‘She had her heart set on achieving greatness and she did that before she died.

‘I’m so sad my beautiful sister’s life ended so early and in such a tragic way.

‘Her memory will live on in our hearts forever.’

Her best friend Vicki Wallis wept as she read out her tribute.

‘I don’t think Lisa realised what an impact she had on people’s lives,’ she said.

‘She loved to dance and was always the last one standing.

‘I was Mary and she was my Mavis. We were going to grow old together.’

She said Lisa was an ‘extraordinary gift’.

‘The world could use more people like you in it,’ she sobbed.

Lisa’s coffin was taken to the burial site to one of her favourite songs, Angels, by Robbie Williams.