SUPPORTERS of Margaret Thatcher have paid their respects to the first and only female Prime Minster in the UK, calling her death ‘incredibly sad’.

Baroness Thatcher died peacefully on Monday, aged 87, following a stroke.

The ‘iron lady’ had visited Harrow School, High Street, Harrow on the Hill, on December 2, 1983, when she gave a speech mentioning Winston Churchill, who was a former pupil.

She said in her speech: “I believe, is the spirit in which Churchill faced the challenges of his time. They apply today. And I have no doubt that they will still apply when the present generation of Harrovians has to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.”

She also spoke to Harrow Conservative Women on November 2, 1965, at the Headstone Hotel, Harrow.

Leader of the Conservative Group at Harrow Council, Councillor Susan Hall (pictured), said: “This is incredibly sad news. Margaret Thatcher was a remarkable person and a formidable politician. She was one of the great Prime Ministers of the 20th Century.

“As the first female Prime Minister she was a trailblazer and an inspiration to millions of women, myself included. Despite the odds against her, she became not only the first female leader of our party and of our country, but a great leader. She showed that with grit, determination and conviction you can achieve anything.”

Pinner and Northwood Conservative MP Nick Hurd said: “Few deny that Britain was in a mess when Mrs Thatcher came to power. Her robust leadership reversed a terrible decline and we should always be grateful for that. Her impact was immense.”

Born in Lincolnshire, the young Thatcher, then named Margaret Roberts, was influenced by her councillor father’s Conservative beliefs.

Lady Thatcher was elected president of the student Conservative Association while studying chemistry at Oxford University. She married Denis Thatcher and had twins Mark and Carol.

She was elected MP for Finchley before the 1950s were out and become the first woman in charge of a Western political party when she was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1975.

At a rally at Wembley Stadium in 1987, Lady Thatcher, said: “Now this is the third time I’ve come to Wembley on the Sunday before polling day. Each time, four days later, we won. And in the presence of great cricketers, I ask shall we go for the hat trick... And I must say it lifts the heart to hear the Wembley Roar.”