*IN YOU BEEN SNAP BLOG * SAD NEWS!!Charity donations rocket to more than £190,000 for hairdresser, 30, who collapsed and died on final bend of London Marathon"

*MKILETEWA HAPA NA MISS FB FLORA BAHATI LYIMO *

Thousands of people touched by the death of a 30-year-old woman running the London Marathon today impulsively donated more than £190,000 to the charity she had been raising funds for.

Claire Squires collapsed at Birdcage Walk, near St James's Park, on the final stretch of yesterday's 26.2mile course.

The committed fundraiser was given medical attention at the scene but died a short time later, a statement on the marathon's official website said.

Tragic: Claire Squires, 30, collapsed and died while running the final stretch of yesterday's London Marathon;

Home straight: Miss Squires collapsed at Birdcage Walk, near St James's Park, on the last mile of the course;

Committed fundraiser: Miss Squires regularly raised money for charity;

Miss Squires, a hairdresser from North Kilworth in Leicestershire, had initially raised more than £500 on JustGiving.com.

But today, in an astonishing display of public generosity, that figure has rocketed to over £190,000 thanks to strangers touched by news reports of her death.

Her fundraising page on the site encouraged her friends to sponsor her.


She wrote: 'Hi guys, as you all know I am running the London Marathon. It was just going to be for fun, but it's a fab opportunity to raise money for my charity the Samaritans.

'If everyone I know could donate £5 that would be a great help and change lives.'

A statement on the London Marathon website read: 'We would like to emphasise that our immediate concern is for the family of the deceased.

'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this difficult time.'

Today, a flurry of tributes flooded JustGiving.com in the wake of the 30-year-old's sudden death.

Committed fundraiser: Miss Squires (centre), pictured with Nikki Wells (left) and Penny Squires (right) takes part in a charity car wash;

Generous: Miss Squires had previously climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise money for the RAF;

Tributes: Stunned friends of Miss Squires today left messages on websites including her JustGiving.com charity fundraising page (pictured)

Rebecca Herity wrote: 'Such an amazing girl! Miss you so much already! Beautiful angel xxx", while Jo Lovell also wrote: 'Amazing lady! xxx'.

Claire Collins-Green said: 'You are the brightest star in the sky. Love surrounds you.'

Lily Jones added: 'Thinking of you Claire, Rest In Peace.'

A fellow runner donated £20 and wrote: 'So sorry to hear the news. Rest easy - an angel for those who run the course in future years.'

Another donated £50 and said: 'So tragic. Claire was an inspiration to everyone. Our thoughts are with your family and friends.'

Friends also took to Twitter to pay tribute to Miss Squires.

Daisy Milburn wrote: 'R.I.P Claire Squires deeply saddening news & you'll be hugely missed', and Callie Wright wrote: 'RIP Claire Squires - lived life to the full.

Miss Squires, a hairdresser from North Kilworth in Leicestershire, had raised more than £500 for the Samaritans by running the marathon. Her death is the tenth since the sporting event began in 1981"