Detectives investigating the murder of PCSO Julia James have advised the community to remain vigilant as the hunt for her killer enters its sixth day.

The 53-year-old mum-of-two's body was found beside a bridleway skirting woodland near the hamlet of Snowdown just after 4pm on Tuesday.

She had left her home, just yards away in The Crescent, to walk her Jack Russell, Toby, and when passerby found her the beloved pet was waiting by her side.

A post-mortem later confirmed she had sustained multiple blows with a blunt instrument, further details of which were not released.

Since then a huge police operation has been launched, transforming a usually deserted part of rural Kent and drawing on resources from the National Crime Agency.

At a press conference on Friday assistant chief constable Tom Richards told the assembled media no motive or suspect had been identified and the force were remaining "open minded".

Today Kent Police's Dover unit took to Twitter to advising residents to "remain vigilant until the full circumstances of the death are established."

It echoed advice given by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate when the investigation was first opened.

The account later added: "Following the death of PCSO Julia James you will see more officers in the Snowdown area. Please do speak to them if you have information or any concerns."

And: "The safety of our communities remains our priority and we urge anyone who has concerns to speak to our officers who are out and about in the local community or contact us."

Read more: What we know so far about murder of PCSO Julia James

The rural location of the murder has hampered the investigation with usual evidence gathering techniques, such as reviewing CCTV, significantly depleted.

Earlier Julia's uncle, Michael Turnbull, called the murderer a "cowardly excuse for a human being" and appealed to the public to help police find the "monster"

Meanwhile a dognapping was reported weeks before Julia's death in nearby Aylesham, while previously it has been reported a woman was flashed in the area and another was approached by a suspicious man in a van in neighbouring Nonington.

Anyone with information should call police on 0800 0514 526.

Video footage can be submitted online here.

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