THE Bournemouth ex-husband of Russian spy Anna Chapman died at the age of 36, it has emerged.

The family of Alex Chapman say there were no suspicious circumstances.

Anna Chapman was once involved in a swap with poisoned spy Sergei Skripal. Her marriage to Mr Chapman came to an end in 2006 after four years of marriage. Mr Chapman died two years ago.

Speaking to a national newspaper, a family member said Mr Chapman's "very distressing" death resulted from natural causes.

Mr Chapman gave an interview to the Daily Telegraph several years ago, in which he said his ex-wife became “more and more distant, and spent more of her time mixing with the very rich and powerful people, going to film premieres.”

Then a trainee psychologist, Mr Chapman said Anna Chapman's father, senior Russian diplomat Vasily Kushchenko, seemed to have a strong influence over her.

He said: “I believe in my heart there has been some sort of influence on her, some sort of conditioning then when push came to shove, she found herself in a situation she couldn’t get out of.”

Mr Chapman's death was reported that day after the Prime Minister announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats following the poisoning of former agent Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Theresa May said the attack amounted to "an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom."

She announced the suspension of high-level contacts with Russia, including a boycott of this summer's World Cup by government ministers and members of the royal family.

South Dorset MP Richard Drax asked Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond for more funding for the armed forces on Monday, warning: "We live in dangerous times."

"I would not like anyone to have the impression that, as I have read in some organs, the defence budget is being cut," Mr Hammond replied.

"It is not—it is being substantially increased."

Speaking to the Daily Echo after Mrs May's announcement, Mr Drax said Britain must "thump bully-boy Russia on the nose".

The MP and former soldier said he is an "avid reader off history, and particularly military history".

"We ignored defence expenditure, very nearly at our peril, in World War Two," he said.

"Thank goodness at that time we had a strong Royal Navy. I don't want us to make that same mistake again."

While "no one wants World War Three", Mr Drax said Britain's armed forces should always be kept "properly equipped and manned".

"We have got no fight with the Russian people," he said.

"Putin himself, however, is a bully boy. We've all been to school. If you don't thump the bully boy on the nose, he will just go on bullying.

"We need to take this threat seriously."

Russian typically "admires strength", Mr Drax said.

"We have to take a strong position," he added, hailing the "tone" of Mrs May's speech to the House of Commons as "perfect".

"She has put a marker down in the sand for Putin," he said.

"Where we go from here, who knows? It will depend on the Russian response."

As reported in the Echo, the investigation into the poisoning moved to North Dorset on Wednesday.

A section of Hyde Road in Gillingham was closed by Dorset Police. Members of the military wearing grey forensic suits covered a recovery truck before using a crane to lift it onto their own recovery vehicle.

It is believed that the recovery truck in question was used to move Mr Skripal’s red BMW, which was left at Sainsbury’s car park in Salisbury on the day of the attack.