Baroness Thatcher has cancelled her engagements for the next few days on doctor's orders after feeling ill yesterday.

The doctor insisted that she must take things easy, but the former Tory Prime Minister's office insisted last night that it was "just a blip".

Baroness Thatcher, 76, underwent a health scare at the turn of the year.

She suffered a minor stroke in Madeira where she and her husband, Sir Denis, were enjoying a holiday to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.

But she appeared to have made a speedy recovery and quickly plunged back into the political fray.

Within days of returning from Madeira she was around and about in the House of Lords.

She was due to make no fewer than five trips to the United States this year, fulfilling lecturing engagements.

And she was also busily engaged in promoting her new book Statecraft