A ‘devoted and brilliant’ mother-of-two died from sepsis on a family holiday to Tenerife just days after complaining of a sore throat.

Lisa Macklin-Palmer, 43, began feeling unwell within 24 hours of arriving on the holiday island, but felt healthy enough to have a meal out a day later with her husband Antony, sons Blayze, 9, and Dexter, 7, and her mother, Joy.

But her condition – which at first she put down to a cold - deteriorated dramatically overnight and she was taken to hospital the following morning.

By the evening Mrs Macklin-Palmer, who never smoked and rarely drank alcohol, was put on a life support machine and fell unconscious. She died on January 12.

Doctors believe Mrs Macklin-Palmer's cause of death was sepsis, a form of blood poisoning where the body reacts to an infection by attacking its own organs and tissues.

Her funeral will take place this Friday and an inquest into her death is due to be opened.

Mrs Macklin-Palmer ran a cafe in New Milton with her husband of 22 years.

Mr Macklin-Palmer, also 43, today spoke of his devastation at the loss of his wife. He said: "She was a devoted wife and a brilliant mother. She always had a big smile on her face and was happy to help anyone. She was very popular, just fun loving and hard working.

"It was crazy how quickly it happened. When we flew out to Tenerife I was the one with a cold and sore throat and she was absolutely fine.

"The morning after we arrived, she had a bit of a sore throat and we went to the chemist to get some tablets. The next day she was a bit under the weather but we still went out for dinner as a family and went to a show.

"But the next morning she was blue. We called a doctor and he said to go straight to the hospital."

Mr Macklin-Palmer went to the hospital with his wife while his mother-in-law stayed with the children at their hotel in the resort of Puerto de Santiago on the west side of Tenerife.

They had expected Mrs Macklin-Palmer to return from hospital and join them at the pool.

Mr Macklin-Palmer said: "We've been told she had sepsis. It is a horrible silent killer. She was in good health, never smoked, hardly drank, it is just so cruel."

Mr Macklin-Palmer added: "By the evening she was on life support and she never recovered. We tried for many years to have children and had IVF and now our boys don't have their mother."