Ann Widdecombe's loved ones gather for her funeral

A requiem mass is held for the former MP at Buckfast Abbey in Devon, near her Dartmoor home. About 100 family, friends and colleagues have attended the funeral of former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe. Mourners gathered at Buckfast Abbey in Devon, a Catholic abbey at which she regularly worshipped and called her "safe haven". Widdecombe died on 8 July aged 78 and was found with serious head injuries at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor. Those attending could be seen wearing black as they arrived at the Requiem Mass for the former MP, who later became a Reform UK spokeswoman. Police officers and sniffer dogs were in the grounds of the abbey ahead of the service, which lasted about 90 minutes. The private requiem mass included a homily from the Rt Rev David Charlesworth, Abbot of Buckfast.

He said: "In the midst of the shock, clamour and sometimes unwarranted comment surrounding her death, our response is to pray for the repose of her soul, to give thanks for her fortitude, and offer Holy Mass in this Abbey Church which Ann called her safe haven." A statement from the Abbey Church earlier said Widdecombe would be "missed and fondly remembered" and "many in our worshipping community knew her as a kind and warm character". "Ann was a woman of profound faith, a faith which found expression in the public forum of politics," it said. It added: "Ann was unafraid to express her unwavering convictions, formed through her Roman Catholic faith. She had a sharp intellect and was a dedicated public servant." The order of service also included tributes paid by the Rev Roger Widdecombe, Widdecombe's nephew, and Sir Christian Sweeting, a close friend. A public memorial for Widdecombe is due to be held later this year. Donations made in her memory are due to be divided between the Leprosy Mission and Abound, supporting the projects of the Christian Endeavour Hostel (CEH) in India. She served as Conservative MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years and was appointed to ministerial roles in Sir John Major's government in the 1990s.

Following her departure from the Commons, Widdecombe appeared on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and was a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother eight years later. She later represented South West England as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Brexit Party and in 2023 she joined Reform UK as a party spokeswoman. Joshua Kerry, a 28-year-old man from South Yorkshire, was charged with her murder in July following an investigation led by counter-terrorism detectives. Follow BBC Devon on X , external , Facebook , external and Instagram , external . Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk , external .

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