One of Govan's most famous sons is to make a donation in honour of its political heroines.

Sir Alex Ferguson is to make a donation to the Remember Mary Barbour Fund at Glasgow City Chambers tomorrow (Thur).

The former Manchester United manager has pledged £5000 for the fund to build a statue in honour of Barbour, who successfully led rent strikes during the First World War.

Sir Alex said: "I take great pride in coming from Govan.

"It's a place where I grew up learning the value of hard graft, resolve and resilience.

"Mary Barbour is also from Govan and possessed all these attributes.

"She successfully mobilised people from far and wide to take direct action against social injustice and changed the law of the land.

"A formidable firebrand she was courageous and compassionate in equal measure."

Mary Barbour led the Rents Strikes in Glasgow in 1915, forcing a change in the law with the introduction of the Rent Restrictions Act.

Post-war, she became one of the first female councillors, as well as the first female Bailie and female magistrate.

Sir Alex will meet Glasgow's Lord Provost, Sadie Docherty, who launched the fund, and former Member of Parliament Maria Fyfe, chair of the Remember Mary Barbour Association.

The Lord Provost said: "As we mark the centenary of the First World War the significance of Mary Barbour cannot be underestimated. It would be such a pity if her contribution to women and children and a fairer society was allowed to fade.

"It's high time she received permanent recognition."