BUCKFAST Abbey has said it was ‘honoured’ to hold the Requiem Mass for former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe.

The private service held on Wednesday was attended by about 100 mourners.

A spokesman for the Abbey, where Miss Widdecombe was a frequent worshipper, said: ‘We are grateful to Ann's family for deciding that it would be fitting to have her Requiem in the place she frequently referred to as her 'safe haven'.

‘A great deal of preparation went in to the Requiem Mass, and we are grateful to Devon and Cornwall Police for their sensitivity and professionalism in ensuring the security of the mourners, our staff and site visitors.

‘We are also grateful to our own staff and volunteers, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that Ann’s closest family and friends were afforded a dignified and private ceremony.

'We also wish to thank the media and general public in responding to our requests for privacy for a family in mourning a loved one.’

The Reform UK spokesman’s body was received into the Abbey Church the evening prior to the Requiem Mass.

The spokesman continued: ‘Ann rested overnight in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament - a fitting vigil for a woman of profound faith.

‘The prayer of Fr Abbot and the Monastic Community is that, fortified by the Rites of the Church, Ann may now rest in peace, and that her family and friends be comforted by the mercy of God.’

The order of service included tributes paid by the Rev Roger Widdecombe, her nephew, and Sir Christian Sweeting, a close friend.

A public memorial for her is planned for later this year.

Miss Widdecombe died on July 8 aged 78. She was found with serious head injuries at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor.

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.