A grieving man was robbed at knifepoint on the way home from his partner’s funeral.

Just hours earlier Guy Curtis had said farewell to his ‘soulmate’ Evonne Harwood at her funeral, and was walking home through Accrington on Thursday, May 4 when he was confronted by a man brandishing a kitchen knife who demanded his phone and wallet.

Guy told the Observer: “I was walking back with Moses our dog and carrying the pictures off the coffin in a bag and I went on to the back path when I was held up at knifepoint.

"He was carrying a long bladed knife and threatened to stab me and my dog.

“We wrestled and tussled, he wanted my phone and I told him I’d just come back from my partner’s funeral, and he just said ‘are you trying to make me feel sorry for you’ and said he needed money.

“He could have cut me anytime he wanted, but I dug my heels in and said he wasn’t getting my phone because of all the photos of Evonne and photos of her and my family in my wallet - I told him he’d have to stab me to get them.”

The funeral service for community champion Evonne had drawn hundreds of mourners to St James Church to pay her tribute.

Guy had been walking along the path beside the railway towards Oswaldtwistle after the wake when the incident occurred at around 5pm.

Eventually the mugger forced Guy to hand over £40 in cash and then fled the scene. Guy made his way onto Charter Street and called the police.

“I have never been in that situation before. I’d just said goodbye to Evonne, the funeral had been a blur and all I could think about was her when this happened. It was awful, just surreal”, he said.

“Going out now I am still twitchy but I am getting a lot of support from my family and friends which I really appreciate.

“The police are investigating and it needs to be dealt with properly. I feel sorry for the bloke, he needs help and I hope if he surrenders to the police he’ll get a chance at a normal life.”

Evonne Harwood in her days as a florist in Accrington Market

Schoolfriends Guy and Evonne had been together for more than a decade and jointly ran the Pink Magpie Vintage Emporium on Warner Street before Evonne’s sudden death, aged just 55.

But Guy added: “The funeral was beautiful, all the people stood in the streets applauding, and there were so many nice words for Evonne. It was very fitting.

“This thief isn’t going to steal any memories of her from me.”

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: “The victim had been walking along the path when he was approached from behind and grabbed by someone who has threatened him with a knife, demanding money and his phone.

“The offender managed to get £40 from the victim and made off in the direction of Tesco.”

Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information should contact police on 101, log number 113 of May 4.