Concern for Margaret Thatcher as she is rushed to hospital by ambulance after failing to recover from flu bug

The former Conservative Prime Minister was running a high temperature and her family and friends did not want to take any chances with her health.

Baroness Thatcher was forced to miss a Downing Street reception to mark her 85th birthday last week because of flu.

Friends became concerned yesterday that her temperature had not returned to normal and she was still feeling ‘groggy’.

A consultant was called in during the day. He could not find the cause of the problem but suspected Lady Thatcher was suffering from an infection.

She was admitted to Bupa’s Cromwell Hospital in West London from her Belgravia home.

A friend said: ‘The flu she has had has not cleared up and doctors want to run some tests. At the end of the day, she is frail and they want to keep an eye on her.’

Lady Thatcher’s son Sir Mark Thatcher arrived at the hospital at 10.30pm with his wife, Sarah, in a chauffeur-driven BMW and left around 30 minutes later. Sir Mark, wearing black tie, said as he left that his mother was in good spirits.

He added: ‘She has been recovering quite well but the doctors wanted to bring her into hospital for some routine tests over the next couple of days.