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Dame Anita Roddick, the founder of the Body Shop, has died in hospital at the age of 64.

The founder of the ethically aware beauty products retailer suffered a brain haemorrhage after being admitted to hospital yesterday evening.

In February, Dame Anita had announced that she had been diagnosed with the blood-borne disease, Hepatitis C, which she contracted in 1971.

A statement from her family said: "Gordon, Justine and Sam Roddick are very sad to announce that, after suffering a major brain haemorrhage, Anita Roddick died at 18:30 BST this evening at the age of 64.

"Anita Roddick was admitted to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, close to her home, yesterday evening when she collapsed after complaining of a sudden headache.

"Mrs Roddick was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit and her husband Gordon and two daughters, Sam and Justine, were with her when she died."

Prime minister Gordon Brown led tributes to the entrepreneur who was knighted by the Queen in 2003. He said that Dame Anita was a "pioneer" and a great inspiration.

"She campaigned for green issues for many years before it became fashionable to do so and inspired millions to the cause by bringing sustainable products to a mass market," Mr Brown said.

Environmental groups also paid tribute to the head of the global chain of beauty products saying that she campaigned for issues long before they became fashionable.

Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said: "I think her lasting legacy will really be not just as a human rights activist and an environmental activist, but really how she transformed attitudes in the business community.

"It's funny today because we read about green consumerism, ethical consumerism and we read about all these environmental and social reports that corporations bring out.

"But these words were hardly in the dictionary when Anita set out on her crusade so there has been quite a transformation," he added, speaking on the BBC's Newsnight programme.

Body and Soul director Emma Colyer also praised the Body Shop founder for not being afraid to campaign for unpopular issues.

"She was not afraid to voice an issue that was unpopular and that doesn't always get a popular response," said the head of the charity which works with children and families affected by HIV.

Ms Colyer added: "She was involved in Body and Soul for ten years and I think that's an unusual thing in itself to have someone who's stuck with an organisation and stuck with an issue and not just campaigned on it when it was a popular thing."

Human rights group Amnesty International also paid tributes to her saying that she was a "true champion of the oppressed and persecuted".

Dame Anita, the daughter of Italian immigrants, opened her first Body Shop store in Brighton in 1976. The shop grew into a global brand with over 2,000 stores in 55 countries.