A CLOSE friend of murdered Burnley charity worker Michael Blakey is struggling to cope after her husband was arrested over the death, her dad has said.

Rachel Owen, who set up the Tong Len charity with Michael, is going through a 'very difficult time', according to her father Professor Gareth Owen.

Mrs Owen's Indian husband Pawan Bhardwaj has been held in connection with the death and is due to appear in court again tomorrow.

Mrs Owen, 35, has already told the Lancashire Telegraph she believes her husband is innocent.

Professor Owen, treasurer of the charity and husband of Anna Owen, who runs the UK arm of Tong Len, said: "Rachel is obviously very distressed after her close friend was killed and then her husband arrested.

"It is a very difficult time for her.

"My wife has gone out to India to be with Rachel and hopefully offer her some comfort."

An inquest into Michael's death was opened and adjourned earlier this week by East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor, who has asked to be provided with details of the Indian police investigation.

The probe means that Michael's funeral, originally expected to be held this week, is now unikely to be held until the New Year.

Bhardwaj, 28, has been the police's prime suspect since Michael's bludgeoned body was found in a gully under some rocks two weeks ago, near the remote Himalayan village where he had been working to help the region's poor.

A post-mortem examination showed that devout Christian Michael, 23, of Mayfair Road, Pike Hill, had been killed by blows to the head and neck with a large rock.

He was formally identified by Mrs Owen.

Police said they had found diary entries on Michael's laptop saying that he had been threatened by Bhardwaj.

Since founding the Tong Len charity with Mrs Owen and a Tibetan monk in 2004, Michael had spent months living the most basic of lives in a monastery, working to help refugee families through healthcare and education.