Ann Widdecombe's body lay undiscovered for 24 hours, murder detectives have revealed today.The ex-Tory minister is believed to have been attacked at her remote bungalow in Haytor, on Dartmoor, at around 12.30pm on Wednesday. But the 78-year-old was not discovered until 11.40am the next day, when a gardener found the former MP and MEP in a pool of blood with serious injuries in the kitchen of her home. Police announced today that they are still searching for her suspected killer, who is believed to be a white male.A 26-year-old white British man who was arrested on Friday was released from custody this morning and is no longer part of the investigation. Detectives said the case is 'moving at significant pace' and 'our priority remains identifying those responsible' for Ms Widdecombe's death. It comes after new details emerged about Ms Widdecombe's final hours, as it was revealed the alarm was raised after she failed to appear on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show at 1pm on Wednesday. She was last seen in an interview on Talk TV at around 8am the same day.A researcher on the Channel 5 show had spoken to Ms Widdecombe on the phone earlier in the afternoon to set up the interview.After the call, the researcher exchanged messages with Ms Widdecombe, with her last message received at 12.19pm.The researcher then messaged again at 12.48pm requesting that Ms Widdecombe join the Zoom link in preparation for the remote interview, but she did not reply. Ann Widdecombe was found dead in the kitchen of her remote bungalow in Dartmoor yesterday Police remain at the murder scene this morning with a cordon still in place at the property A forensics officer collects evidence from Ms Widdecombe's home as police continue to search for cluesSubsequent voice calls and messages asking if everything was OK went unanswered. Concerns were raised by the show's research team about the uncharacteristic lack of response from Ms Widdecombe, who was a regular on the show.They contacted her agent later on Wednesday and followed up again on Thursday.This morning, a cordon remains in place at Ms Widdecombe's remote Dartmoor property. Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman provided an update on the force's investigation today and said: 'Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined.'Detectives continue to carry out numerous inquiries as part of the ongoing investigation and we remain committed to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident.'He said the investigation was 'moving at a significant pace', adding: 'We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened.'I would appeal to anyone who may have information about this incident, however insignificant it may seem, to come forward and speak with us.'We will release further information when we are able to do so. In the meantime, I would ask people not to speculate about what might have happened, particularly on social media.'This is not only potentially harmful to our investigation but also deeply distressing for family and friends of Ms Widdecombe. The family have also asked for their privacy to be respected as they come to terms with what has happened.'We have set up a major incident public portal for information, images or footage to be submitted to us. This can be found on our website.'Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers.'Ms Widdecombe was previously a Brexit Party MEP and subsequently became Reform UK's Immigration and Justice spokesperson.In a post on X, Channel 5 presenter Dan Walker said that Ms Widdecombe had been due to appear on 5 Daytime on Wednesday afternoon 'but stopped responding to messages and didn't turn up for the show'. Ms Widdecombe on Channel 5's Jeremy Vine show She was due to appear on Channel 5's Matt Allwright show on Wednesday at 1pm but failed to appear Ms Widdecombe's driver of ten years Peter Horrell, 72, laid a floral tribute outside her home today Forensics officers continue to gather evidence at the property today Floral tributes and framed photo of Ms Widdecombe have been laid at her home Officers believe Ms Widdecombe was attacked at around 12.30pm on Wednesday - 24 hours before her body was foundHe added: 'The team contacted her agent to ask them to check in on her. This information has been passed to police as it's part of the investigation.'Last night, a source close to the family said: 'We're in total shock and disbelief. It was hard enough to find out we'd lost Ann – but we still have yet to come to terms with the fact that she died in such brutal circumstances. Perhaps we never will. 'She was a little, frail old lady. What we find most difficult of all is that she must have been in abject terror for the last minutes of her life.'Ms Widdecombe's driver of ten years, Peter Horrell, 72, laid a floral tribute outside her home today.Speaking to journalists, he said she had 'never mentioned any fear' for her safety and that she loved living in Haytor.Mr Horrell said: 'When I saw it yesterday, I thought she had had a heart attack or a stroke or something.'Of course, then later it turned out it was a suspected murder. [I was] just shocked, absolute shock.'Mr Horrell said he spoke to Ms Widdecombe's personal assistant afterwards, who 'didn't know at that time what had happened'.The driver said it was 'very sad', adding: 'I just couldn't believe it'.He said he last worked for her when he drove her to Yeovil in Somerset, adding that she 'always looked after me' and 'made sure I had something to eat'.Asked whether she had ever expressed any concern for her safety, he said: 'Not really, she seemed quite happy living up here by herself. You never expect it, do you? Well I certainly didn't. You know, very sad.'Mr Horrell said Ms Widdecombe 'loved' living in the area, adding: 'She loved walking up on the moors and, as you know, she's got a swimming pool at the back. So if she come back late or late-ish she'd always have a brandy and go for a swim.'She was a great lady, very kind. You know, she was absolutely a privilege to take in the car, and she was funny at times.'He added: 'I like her because if you asked her a question, you'd get a direct answer. There was no mucking about. She was brilliant, absolutely brilliant.'I thought she was a great politician. She was very strong in her views. I don't think you'd be able to replace that sort of person, not really. Could be a little bit outspoken at times, but that was Ann.'Meanwhile, neighbours have been speaking today of their shock following the grisly discovery. Christine Maloney, who lives near Ms Widdecombe's home in Haytor, said the area was 'very safe' and it was not unusual for people to leave their cars and front doors unlocked.She said of the former MP: 'My husband saw her a week ago, driving around. I'm very shocked at [her death], it shouldn't have happened, it's horrific.'Everyone knows that's her house, perhaps that's the problem?'She added: 'It's got to be someone that's local or knows her. Whoever did it, I think they should put him out for the locals to deal with him.'Alison and Simon Gilbert, who have lived in Haytor Vale for more than a decade, said Ms Widdecombe was a well-known figure locally.Mrs Gilbert said: 'She was a nice woman, really nice woman, and she had a great sense of humour. It's a lovely area – you talk to strangers.'Everyone saw her as quite an opinionated politician, but to us she was just a person in the community.'First of all, we got back and saw police and thought maybe it was a burglary, a lot of us suspected she had a heart attack or something.''She didn't deserve to die like that,' Mr Gilbert added.Ms Widdecombe, a Brexiteer and devout Catholic, refused to be cowed by terrorists – even after the murder of fellow MP and 'best friend in Parliament,' Sir David Amess, who was fatally stabbed at his constituency surgery in Leigh–on–Sea, Essex in 2021. Asked last October whether she ever feared being physically attacked because of her beliefs and high profile, Ms Widdecombe said defiantly: 'No'.'I took a very robust attitude,' she said. 'In my day, it was the IRA and I suppose I had a slightly faithless attitude.'I remember I used to get death threats from time to time. We all did, and my staff would say, 'Shall we tell the police?''I'd say, "Put it in the bin",' because if the IRA are going to do it, they're not going to tell you in advance, they're just going to do it. As they did with Airey Neave [the Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary who was assassinated in a 1979 car bomb as he was leaving the House of Commons].'I still take that attitude. I do know that we're in a slightly different worl,d but I think it's crucial that MPs and their constituents intermingle freely.' She said Sir David, 69, who was stabbed to death by Islamic State fanatic Ali Harbi Ali, agreed with her.'I knew him terribly well, and his family, of course,' she added. 'I know, and I said this to his widow, who agreed with me, that he would never want his death used as a reason to distance MPs from their constituents.