Muggers snatch wife’s ashes from disabled man
ADISABLED man has spoken of his shock and devastation after heartless robbers ripped a chain containing his wife’s ashes from around his neck.
Mark Haywood was heading home in the early hours of New Year’s Day from The Railway pub on Blackburn Road in Accrington town centre when he was approached by two men and a woman.
The 53-year-old said they asked him if he was okay before one of the group grabbed the gold chain with the cross pendant and attached wedding rings.
Mark, who suffered a stroke and heart attack in March last year, lost his wife of six years Jane Haywood in 2016 and kept her ashes inside the pendant.
He told the Observer: “It’s just horrendous what’s happened.
“I still can’t believe it’s happened to me and it’s the worst possible start to the year.
“It is a 24-inch gold chain which is not worth much, maybe £200.
But the cross has massive sentimental value because it has my wife’s ashes.
“I’m still upset. I don’t think I will ever get over it.
“It’s hard work because I’m disabled as well.
“I’m scared of going outside.
“I don’t know if they saw me earlier and followed me home.”
Mark, who lives on St James Street in Accrington, said that the robbery happened only around 20 feet from his home.
The Observer reported in 2013 how Jane was also mugged in a similar location of a handbag containing 20 photographs of her wedding day and her late grandmother.
He said: “I had been out for a game of snooker at Sydney Street [Working Men’s Club] and went to The Railway pub.
“I didn’t drink that much as I’m not a big drinker.
“I just went out for New Year.
“I walked up to the graveyard on St James Street and sat on a wall there with my friend.
“I then said I’m going home now and was get- ting steady on my feet.
“Then these two guys and a girl came up to me asking if I was all right.
“I started walking off and then one of them grabbed the chain from around my neck.
“I know I won’t get it back.”
Mark said one of the offenders was a male in his late 20s with blond hair and was wearing grey bottoms and a grey T-shirt.
The other man had black hair with a black top and the woman had long blonde hair.
Lancashire Police confirmed that they were called to reports of a robbery on January 1 and that no arrests have been made.
Anyone with information should call 101 quoting log 865 of January 1.