Mourners turned out in their hundreds to pay final respects to a Leigh teacher who died suddenly on a flight home from holiday.

Tributes to Sue Fuller, who was deputy head of St Michael's Preparatory School in Leigh, spoke of shock and sadness at her death.

But mourners also heard Mrs Fuller lived life to the full and touched every person she met.

Particular reference was made to Mrs Fuller's "mischievous laugh" and penchant for brightly-coloured canvas shoes.

Father Robin Eastow led the funeral service at St Margaret's Church, Leigh, and also knew her on a personal level as chairman of the school governors at St Michael's.

Mrs Fuller died suddenly after suffering a bloodclot when her plane came down to land at Heathrow Airport on her return from holiday.

She was rushed to Ashford Hospital, Middlesex, on Friday, August 27, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Fr Eastow told the congregation: "She was a great lover of craft and sport, but really a great lover of life - she was good at life, nothing went wrong and what she said she was going to do she did.

"She was a great laugher - we have heard references to a wicked sense of humour, and that was right."

Fr Eastow then recalled a time when he had accompanied Mrs Fuller and a class of schoolchildren to a church service only for her to notice something funny at its start, and barely contain her laughter throughout.

Mrs Fuller's close friend for 16 years, and senior assistant at St Michael's school, Linda Cook, also paid tribute, with a compilation of thoughts and memories from all the staff at St Michael's.

She said: "She was a wonderful friend and colleague, always there to give advice and expertise in bringing children to their true potential.

"She had a love of life, sunshine and bright colours, and one could not forget her shoes."

A long-standing family friend also said he had many fond memories of times with Mrs Fuller.

He said: "We are all going to miss something other than Sue herself.

"Two things that struck me were her mischievous giggle when she couldn't remember a punchline to a joke, and her wonderful ability to find a shop which stocked brightly-coloured canvas shoes for her holiday."

The friend added she would be terribly missed by her husband Roger and three daughters, Rebecca, Sarah and Rachel.

Final farewell - pallbearers with Mrs Fuller's flower-adorned coffin

Picture: STEPHEN LLOYD

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