‘It’s very divisive’: Margaret Thatcher’s statue splits birthplace of Grantham

The recently unveiled statue of Margaret Thatcher in St Peter's Hill, Grantham. Photograph: John Robertson/The Guardian

It may have been a week since the residents of Grantham were surprised by the appearance of a long-anticipated statue of Margaret Thatcher, but the dust is showing no signs of settling just yet.

After an arduous four-year process, the £300,000 statue was quietly placed on its 10ft plinth last Sunday morning when few people were around, and was egged within hours.