A young woman who died from "economy class syndrome" on a long-haul flight home for Christmas was laid to rest yesterday before a huge congregation of family and friends.

Alayne Wake, 28, died from deep vein thrombosis with only half an hour of her flight remaining on December 20.

Mourners crowded into the chapel at Sunderland Crematorium where prayers were said for the businesswoman.

Her father, Kevin, and younger sister, Gillian, were comforted by close friends and family as they said their last goodbyes at the ceremony at Sunderland's Crematorium.

The Reverend Alison Hutchinson, from St Nicholas' Family Parish Church, said: "A loss of life is always tragic but Alayne was so young and the circumstances were so unexpected.

"She was a keen athlete with a huge heart and will leave behind that legacy of love."

Miss Wake, who worked and lived in Singapore, was travelling home to Sunderland, Wearside, to spend Christmas with her family when the tragedy happened.

She had been sitting in the economy section of the super-jumbo Boeing 747-400 aircraft and it is understood she collapsed after leaving her seat to go to the toilet.

It is believed her death was caused by a blood clot which originated in her right calf during the 13-hour flight.

A doctor, nurse and paramedic, who were also passengers on the Singapore Airlines flight, helped cabin staff attend to Miss Wake.

The aircraft's defibrilation equipment was used to try to revive her but she died with just over half an hour of the flight remaining.

The tragedy comes just five months after Miss Wake lost her mother, Pat, 57, following a two-year struggle against cancer.

Miss Wake had caught the Singapore to Heathrow flight, and intended to fly to Teesside Airport, near Darlington, to be picked up by her father.

She had been planning a family Christmas with her father, sister Gillian and her husband Anthony, and her grandmother, May Taylor.

Miss Wake had lived in Singapore for 18 months after getting a job as customer services manager in the Asia-Pacific region for French company Oberthur Card Systems, which makes finance-related plastic products such as credit cards and phone cards.

She read French and Italian at Manchester University and spent a year of her course working in Pisa, Italy.

After graduating, Miss Wake joined De La Rue International as a management trainee.

After a company merger, she transferred to Oberthur, working in Paris for 18 months, before moving to the Far East.

Mr Wake saidd: "She loved living in Singapore. Her job took her to Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia.

"We visited Alayne in April and May this year. Pat was very ill at the time but she was determined to go. We had a fabulous time."

Miss Wake was a keen diver, after being introduced to the sport on the Great Barrier Reef while visiting relatives in Australia.

She had almost qualified as a dive master and just a week ago had been diving in Bali.

Miss Wake was also a passionate football fan and supported her home team, Sunderland.

Among the hundreds of flowers was a wreath of white roses sent from her work colleagues. It read: "Your lively and bubbly personality will always be remembered by all your friends.