Just five hours before Ann Widdecombe was fatally beaten at her Devon bungalow, the prime suspect in her murder was captured on CCTV getting into a red hatchback on his Rotherham driveway, it has been claimed.

Footage obtained by The Sun also shows the man with a wooden baton-like object protruding from his shorts pocket as he left his council house shortly before 8am last Wednesday. He is believed to have driven around 267 miles to Haytor, where Ms Widdecombe, 78, was attacked at approximately 12.30pm.

A Ring doorbell camera at Ms Widdecombe’s home provided what police sources describe as the “key breakthrough”, showing a white British man and his car outside the property. Counter-terrorism officers with specialist digital resources then helped trace the suspect back to his Yorkshire address.

The former Tory junior minister, who later joined Reform UK, had appeared on TalkTV at 8am that morning — shortly after the suspect set off. She replied to a producer’s text at 12.19pm but failed to join a scheduled Zoom call at 12.48pm. Her body was discovered at 11.30pm on Thursday by a domestic assistant. Sources say she died from severe blunt force trauma to the head.

Initially, police are understood to have believed her death was the result of a fall. It was only the following day that they realised they were dealing with a murder inquiry.

The breakthrough came rapidly. On Saturday night, armed officers in balaclavas stormed the terraced Rotherham property just before 10pm, coinciding with the start of the England v Norway World Cup match. Neighbours described hearing a loud bang before the suspect was led out in handcuffs without resistance. He was taken to Devon for questioning.

One neighbour said: “He’s never been in any trouble. He’s always taken my parcels in and put my bins out. It’s shocking.” The man lived alone after his father’s recent death and is believed to be one of three sons.

A 26-year-old man arrested earlier in Newton Abbot was eliminated from the inquiry. Devon Chief Constable James Vaughan praised the “extraordinary response” and “lightning pace” of the operation, saying officers were “pleased” to have a suspect in custody.

Police have stressed there is no evidence the killing was politically motivated.

Yesterday, around 250 mourners gathered at Buckfast Abbey near Ann’s home, where Reform UK figures including Lee Anderson, Zia Yusuf and Richard Tice paid their respects.