Hilda Howard, mother of the former Tory leader Michael Howard, has died at the age of 97.

Mr Howard paid tribute to his mother this week, describing her as “a very remarkable lady.”

She ran a ladies fashion shop in Llanelli, South Wales for many years before moving to Stanmore in Middlesex where she became a pillar of the local community attending synagogue every week and working tirelessly for Wizo.

Her health was good until the last few months of her life when she deteriorated fast. Mr Howard had high praise for Nightingale House in south London where his mother spent the last three weeks of her life. “Everyone was wonderful, we can’t praise them highly enough.”