A WORCESTER businessman who sparked excitement across the world after buying Margaret Thatcher's old robes has been offered the chance to exhibit it in America.

Last week your Worcester News revealed how Neil Westwood, who paid £84,000 for the robes at an auction, has been fending off requests from Far East investors to sell it on for a whopping £150,000.

Now the city trader has been contacted by MPs who want to take Maggie's old garments on a US tour, exhibiting it at the famous Ronald Regan Library in California.

Conor Burns, an MP in Bournemouth, is chairman of the Margaret Thatcher Centre, a trustee-led body set to open up a museum dedicated to her life at the University of Buckingham by 2019.

Mr Burns was a personal friend of Lady Thatcher's, and the organisation has links with the Ronald Regan attraction, with the ex-PM's centre set to be largely modelled on it.

He has now invited Mr Westwood to Westminster to discuss the idea of a US tour, where people at the California facility can see it for a limited time period.

Lord David Young has also contacted him to say it should be insured to the tune of £250,000 while in the States, such is the interest in it.

Mr Westwood, who runs his award-winning company Magic Whiteboard at Blackpole Trading Estate, said: "It's fantastic, I'm going to tell them the Ronald Regan Library can have it on temporary display for free as long as they pay for us to come along and see it.

"Conor Burns used to go down to The Ritz every Sunday, or every other Sunday towards the end of Margaret Thatcher's life to look after her, he was one of her closest friends at that period of time.

"I am totally happy for them to take the lead and take it out the country for a period of time.

"She polarised people, there's no doubt about it but we need to remember that period of this country's history."

The due are now set for talks over the next few weeks to clinch a deal over the US arrangement.

The peeress robes, which features smeared lipstick on it that Mr Westwood believes may belong to the dead former Prime Minister, was up for sale in London at a guide price of just £1,200 just before Christmas.

Since buying it for £84,480 he's had one offer from Japan for £100,000 and a South Korean businessman suggest £150,000.

Mrs Thatcher, who died in April 2013 aged 87, was British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and led the Conservative Party for 15 years.

She was handed a life peerage in 1992 and endorsed the idea of a museum in her memory before she died.

* Neil gets £150,000 offer to sell the robes - see our story from last week HERE.