VETERAN Hampshire Tories have rallied round the late Sir Edward Heath, the ex-prime minister at the centre of historical sex abuse claims.

It comes as Hampshire Constabulary confirmed its detectives were investigating allegations against the late politician along with Wiltshire, London, Kent and Jersey police forces.

But the county’s police force refused to answer questions put to them by the Daily Echo online.

This included whether they are investigating alleged child abuse linked to Sir Edward that may have taken place in Hampshire.

A police spokesman said: “We are not disclosing any further details at this time as the investigation is ongoing.”

Meanwhile Hampshire Tories who knew the ex-prime minister have reacted in disbelief.

Some rejected the child abuse allegations while others said they were waiting for more evidence before passing judgement.

Veteran Conservative Edward Kellett-Bowman, formally who served as a MEP for Test and Avon and was politically friends with the pro-European ex-prime minister, said he “did not believe” the allegations.

The 84-year from Ampfield said: “I am a bit of a cynic and my first question is who and why? Is it political?”

Former Tory Southampton City Councillor Conor Burns, now a Bournemouth MP, said: “I am very surprised to the point that I am not prepared to rush to judgment on the allegations.

"I am very surprised at the swill of allegations and clearly he cannot defend himself.

“I hold by the old principle that people are innocent until proved guilty.”

The Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation, based in Salisbury where the former politician lived, said: “We welcome the investigation by Wiltshire Police, which we wholeheartedly believe will clear Sir Edward’s name and we will co-operate fully with the police in their inquiries.”

But Caroline Nokes, Conservative MP for Romsey and Southampton North, said: “From my perspective it is imperative that all the police forces that have received allegations investigate them most rigorously.”

Sir Edward, who led the Tory government between 1970 and 1974, never married and was famously reticent about his private life.

He died at home in Salisbury aged 89 in July 2005.

He was a well known figure in Hampshire because of his passion for competitive sailing in the Solent.

Although he quit sailing as the years crept up on him, he was still a popular figure in Hamble, where he had based his yacht Morning Cloud.

In 1992 Sir Edward was given an honorary doctorate by the Southampton Institute for Higher Education, which is now Southampton Solent University.

The scope of the current police scrutiny widened after an investigation was launched into an alleged cover-up of a claim against Sir Edward.

The police watchdog announced an inquiry into allegations that a prosecution was shelved after a threat was made to “expose” him.

A woman, named in reports as Filipino Myra Ling-Ling Forde, had been due to stand trial in the 1990s for running a brothel in Salisbury, but the case was allegedly dropped when she said she would name Sir Edward.

Forde was later convicted on brothel related offences.

But in a further twist she has denied threatening to expose him.

In a statement, Forde's former solicitor Richard Griffiths said: "My firm acted for Myra Forde in relation to the case which the prosecution discontinued on the day of the trial and which has been the subject of a great deal of speculation.

"My former client wishes me to make it very clear that at no stage did she state that Ted Heath was a client and at no stage did she threaten to expose him as a client of hers if the prosecution was continued."

"For the avoidance of any doubt Myra Forde wishes me to make it clear that she had no involvement with Ted Heath of any kind and has no knowledge of any misconduct on his part.”

A man, now aged in his 60s, claimed he was raped at the age of 12 by the Conservative MP in 1961 but was branded “a liar and a fantasist” when he reported it to social workers two months later.

The States of Jersey Police confirmed the former prime minister features in Operation Whistle, an inquiry into alleged historical abuse on the island.

Later, Kent Police said they had received a report on Tuesday of a sexual assault in the county in the 1960s.

Wiltshire Police said its officers and NSPCC had received “a number of calls” following appeals for potential victims.

The force has referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) over its handling of past allegations.

However, the IPCC told the Daily Echo online it was not currently looking into Hampshire police.