Grand £100,000 unveiling of Margaret Thatcher statue in her hometown to be privately funded

A council plan to spend up to £100,000 on the unveiling of a statue of the late Prime Minister Baroness Margaret Thatcher in her home town of Grantham is now to be privately funded.

South Kesteven District Council proposed the idea last year - the cost was going to be met through donations with any shortfall being underwritten by the council. 

But that idea has now been put aside - with a new plan to raise the cash entirely through private backers.

The date of the unveiling is yet to be announced, but the statue will be put on a 10 foot plinth to try and deter vandals.  The bronze statue of the Iron Lady polarising opinion just like the woman herself.