VETERAN politican Barbara Castle was recovering in hospital today after collpasing in the House of Lords

She was found in the ladies' toilets by a member of staff who put out a message for a doctor yesterday.

Baroness Castle was attended by Lord Winston, a leading obstetrician and fertility expert, and later taken to hospital.

A spokesman for St Thomas' Hospital, London, said she had been examined in the accident and emergency department.

The 90-year-old former Blackburn MP was transferred to an NHS ward where she was today said to be sitting up and was bright and alert.

Earlier yesterday she spoke at a campaign launched by Unison to close the pay gap between men and women in local government.

Union officials at the launch in central London said they were impressed with her fighting spirit as she spoke in support of equal treatment.