A mother-of-five who spent three decades running various community businesses in Tipton has died.

Glynis Andrews, who was 55, had a long-battle with vascular dementia. Mrs Andrews and her husband Rob ran newsagent and general store Rob’s of Tipton, known locally as ‘the Blackpool shop,’ in Bloomfield Road from 1976 before they retired five years ago.

Husband Rob said she was very popular and well-loved by the people of Tipton.

He said: “Everybody loved her. The place was known as The Blackpool Shop as we used to have dinghies and childrens’ toys all over the forecourt. People said it looked like a shop on the front at Blackpool.

“How she managed to raise five kids under the age of eight and work in all those businesses at the same time, I will never know.

“She was an amazing woman and so kind and loving. She was loved by everybody.

“So many people knew her, round here and in Manchester and London.”

The couple, of Oakham Road, Dudley, also ran a raft of other businesses together in Tipton over the years, including City Cafe, the Royal Hotel, the King’s Arms pub and the City Snooker Hall.

Mrs Andrews was also a well known member of Tipton Harriers running Club and netball player.

She had five children, Paul, aged 28, Linsey, 25, Janine, 24, Jimmy, 22, and Stuart, 20, as well as two grandchildren Shannon aged six, and 18-month-old Joshua James.

Jimmy said: “Everyone who knew the shop knew my mum.

“She owned her first business, a newsagents in Netherton when she was 16 and worked in the shop full time for 32 years.

Her funeral will take place on Friday from 10am at All Saints Church in Sedgley and at Lower Gornal Crematorium at 11.40am.

The family has asked for flowers or donations in her name to be made to Dudley Alzheimer’s Society or to Tipton Harriers.