THE grieving husband of a woman who died suddenly on Christmas Eve has paid a moving tribute to his wife of 18 years.

Mother-of-three Claire Allum, 51, died in her sleep from a brain haemorrhage at the couple’s home in Gilbert Close, Popley, Basingstoke.

Mrs Allum, a senior staff nurse at St Michael’s Hospice, in Basingstoke, had been sleeping upstairs before going to work, and it was her 14-year-old daughter who tried to wake her after lunchtime. Her husband George tried to resuscitate her until an ambulance arrived.

The 48-year-old paid tribute to the emergency services. He said: “They really battled for her. Thankfully, she knew nothing about it. She looked at peace, asleep.”

On Christmas Day the family just felt “numb”, he said, and although they did not have anyone round, they did open their presents, including those that Mrs Allum had bought for them.

Mr Allum paid tribute to his wife who had previously been a nurse at Odiham Cottage Hospital.

He said: “She was loving, caring, and always thought about everybody else.

“She always wanted to do good for everybody – that’s why she was a nurse. She was so good at it.”

The family had been dedicated foster parents, caring for children, including disabled children, for nearly 20 years, he said.

Of her work at St Michael’s Hospice, Mr Allum, an electrician with energy firm SSE, said: “I don’t know how she did it. She was very attached to all her patients. She made it so personal – that’s what made her such a good nurse.”

Staff at St Michael’s Hospice also paid tribute to Mrs Allum. Alison Wetherill, the director of patient services, said: “Claire was a very dedicated and extremely hard-working and valuable member of the St Michael’s Hospice-at-home team.

“The care that she gave to patients and their relatives was always highly valued by those she cared for. She was a very popular member of staff and the team are devastated by her loss.”

Mrs Allum’s funeral was conducted on Friday at Basingstoke Crematorium.