Police investigating the murder of a mother-of-three stabbed to death last week in ‘Britain’s poshest village’ have released CCTV of a man in a hooded jacket they ‘urgently’ want to speak to.
The body of Clair Ablewhite, 48, was discovered in a cottage in Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire, at around 6.30pm on Saturday following a call to police.
Neighbours said she had only moved into the £300,000 rented property a short time before the brutal attack, which is thought to have taken place on Friday evening.
A 48-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Sunday morning, before being released under investigation on Tuesday while enquiries continue.
Detectives have now said there were no signs of a break-in at Ms Ablewhite’s home, and released CCTV of a hooded man they ‘urgently’ want to speak to in connection with the probe.
Clair Ablewhite, 47, was found stabbed to death at her home in Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire, just before 6.30pm on Saturday
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: ‘Detectives are urging people to look closely at the video as they are confident someone can tell them who he is so he can be eliminated from their enquiries.
‘Officers also today revealed there were no signs of a break-in before mother-of-three Clair Ablewhite, 47, was murdered in a knife attack at her home in Hall Lane, Colston Bassett, on Friday evening.
‘Reassurance patrols have been stepped up in the area and officers are due to conduct house-to-house enquiries tonight in the village and will be asking people to view the video.
‘The man is seen on camera on foot in Hall Lane, Colston Bassett, at around 9.30pm on Friday, shortly before the murder took place.
‘He was wearing a hooded jacket with the hood up, trainers, and a rucksack on his back. He has a light-footed walk and has his right hand to his mouth in the clip.’
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin, of Notts Police, urged people to watch the footage carefully and share it with as many people as possible on social media to help officers identify him.
Police cordon off Hall Lane in Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire, after mother-of-three Clair Ablewhite, 47, was found dead
ACC Griffin also said he believed the murderer may have been known to Clair.
He added: ‘We are keeping an open mind about the circumstances around Clair’s murder. However, there are some features within it that make me think that this is a local person.
‘There are no signs of forced entry and no obvious signs of a burglary. It could be that the person was known to Clair.’
Ms Ablewhite worked as a dogwalker and dogsitter. Her family are said to be devastated by her death and two of her sons paid tribute to her online.
Dan Ablewhite, 28, wrote on Facebook: ‘I love you so much mum. I just want to see that beautiful big smile and give you a hug and tell you how much you mean to us all.
‘You really was one in a million, rest in peace, sleep tight, remember and dream about all the good times we had together.’
And Sam Ablewhite, 20, added: ‘RIP Mum we all miss you so much… words cannot describe how hard my life will be without seeing that beautiful big smile you had.
‘Rest in peace, sleep tight and remember all the good times we had together.
‘All three of us brothers will do everything we can to put a proud little smile on your face up there.’
Locals in the quiet village – named as one of the 54 ‘most desirable’ in the country by the Daily Telegraph in January – are said to be ‘shocked’ by the tragedy.
Management consultant John Jennings, 62, who lives just yards from where she was killed, said: ‘This kind of thing is pretty much unheard of around here.
‘It’s very sad news. She hadn’t been here long, only a month or so, so I only really knew her to say ‘hello’ to, when I saw her walking her dogs. But she seemed really nice.
‘I feel very sorry for her family. It must be an awful shock for them, especially in a place which is about as far as you can get from this kind of stuff.
‘It’s quite unbelievable really. I’ve lived in the village for 34 years and can’t remember anything like this before.’
Another local, retired Colin Selby, 58, said: ‘I came home on Saturday evening, and the police were here.
‘There were more police than I’ve ever seen before in my life, so I knew something very serious must have happened.
Police have released footage of a man they urgently want to speak to in connection with a murder investigation into the death of Clair Ablewhite
‘The lane is still cordoned off, so I can only assume the police are searching for something.
‘It’s extremely distressing. I hadn’t really spoken to her yet, but my wife and I were about to ask her about looking after our dog when we go away. From what I could tell she was a lovely lady.’
Another villager added: ‘She was a lovely lady, very friendly and always smiling. It is such a shame, just awful what has happened.
‘As a local you cannot imagine that something like this would ever happen here. It’s a lovely, charming village where something dreadful has now happened.
‘Without in anyway making light of what’s happened, you have to say it could be a bit like a plot from Midsomer Murders.’
Colston Bassett is based in the picturesque Vale of Belvoir on the Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire border. It has a population of around 400. In January it was named as one of the 54 ‘poshest’ villages in the UK by The Daily Telegraph.
The average house price is just below £800,000 – the most expensive in Notts – and the village is the home of traditional Stilton and Shropshire Blue cheeses.
