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Former Zen owner Sylvia Chandler dies aged 64

Sylvia Chandler was described as a free spirit who advocated drinking her own urine for health reasons

Sylvia Chandler

Sylvia Chandler, a 'free spirit' who was a catwalk model, florist to the stars, entrepreneur and famous advocate of drinking your own urine for health reasons, has died of lung cancer, aged 64.

Ms Chandler was best known in Birmingham as the woman behind the city's first New Age retailer, Serenity, in Corporation Street, which grew out of her successful florist business Carnation Street.

She also created national headlines by encouraging friends and customers to follow her own example by drinking their own urine and remained convinced of its health benefits up until her death.

Serenity developed into the Zen store in Brindleyplace and Ms Chandler launched a branch in in 1998 focusing on holistic healing.

Thrice married, Chandler retired around six years ago and her daughters Kate and Megan took over the business, which moved its Brindleyplace outlet to in 2010 to run alongside the Moseley shop.

Kate said her mother, born in Mold, North Wales in July 1950, had enjoyed an amazing life.

In a eulogy to be read at her funeral, Kate said: "At 19, she married Peter Tomlinson and moved to Birmingham to begin fulfilling her entrepreneurial ambitions.

"From food to floristry to furniture, once she set her mind to it she was guaranteed success.