Friends and family will come together to raise money in memory of a woman who “loved to challenge herself”.

Justine Barringer died while taking part in an organised dive in Gran Canaria in September last year.

Her exact cause of death is not yet known. She had been fundraising for Heart Research UK in memory of her father, David Barringer, who had died in June aged 73 from possible heart-related problems.

The 44-year-old Iwade resident was well known as a team leader of a Beginners to Runners (B2R) group, helping people get fit using her trademark phrase “finishing lines, not finishing times”.

Now, friends and family are coming together to put that idea into action, with a challenge of running, walking, or jogging 23km in 23 days from the start of March to raise money for Heart Research UK, Miss Barringer’s chosen charity.

Tina Best, Justine’s partner of five years, said: “We chose 23km because 23 was a significant number for Justine.

“She was born on March 23, died on September 23, and her funeral was on October 23.

“The memorial run will coincide with what would have been her 45th birthday.”

Each participant will receive a medal, designed by Miss Best, which will include cat paws to symbolise Miss Barringer’s three cats, a blue line to represent the British Transport Police, where she worked for 25 years, and a green line to represent the B2R group.

Miss Best added: “As well as running, Justine loved to challenge herself in other ways, and revelled in the buzz she got from physical challenges.

“It has been extremely difficult to make sense of Justine’s death, and we hope the inquest will provide some answers.

“Between September and January three divers have lost their lives in the Canary Islands, and it is important to know why these deaths occurred.

"It is important to me and to her friends and family that something positive comes out of Justine’s tragic death.”

A date for the inquest has not yet been set. To get involved with the 23km challenge, go to tinyurl.com/JustineMemorial23 or to donate go to tinyurl.com/Barringer23