A GIANT portrait of Margaret Thatcher painted by a Malvern artist will go on show at Christie's in London, which is holding an auction of the former prime minister's jewellery, clothes and other possessions.

Michael Noakes, who lives in Malvern Wells, unveiled the life-size portrait of Lady Thatcher standing at the door of 10 Downing Street in 1993, but since then it has not been shown in public.

This week, the picture, which is over 12 feet high, was taken from Mr Noakes's store room in Malvern to the famous London auction house, where it will go on show on Friday.

The picture is not on sale in the auction, but Mr Noakes said he is open to selling it privately.

He said: "Because my children cannot bear the thought that when I die, they would have to find it a home, they say please try to sell it soon.

"Of course, I would like to see it realise some return for all that work, rather than just having it sit in storage here in Malvern."

Mr Noakes said that he hopes the publicity surrounding the Christie's auction will help him find a buyer.

"It would please me if it sold really well, but there are very few places that could cope with a work of this size; it is an institutional work and for that reason, I never expected Mrs T to have it herself."

He said that he hoped the painting will remain in Britain, but he had some interest from a businessman in Kuwait.

Mr Noakes said that no-one commissioned him to create the portrait, but when he was painting a more conventional picture of Lady Thatcher, he told her he would like to paint her at the door of Downing Street.

"That's when she said 'Let's do that!' I worked initially on a small study, and she did not at the start realise that I also meant full-size," he said.

After seeing the completed work, Lady Thatcher wrote to Mr Noakes: "The portrait on the steps of No 10, exceeded all my expectations. It was so realistic. Your idea is sheer genius and it has succeeded."

Mr Noakes said that no-other premier has been pained at the door of 10 Downing Street.

Mr Noakes has painted some of the most famous names of the modern age, including the Queen, the Prince of Wales and many other royals.

He has also painted Bill Clinton, Frank Sinatra, Sir Alec Guinness and many other notables. He is currently working on a painting of broadcaster Lord Bragg.