A COUPLE who were robbed at knifepoint on holiday have spoken of their nightmare as they get ready to face their attackers in court.

And John and Mary Fielding, of Vincint Street, Burnley, have hit out at Spanish authorities over delays bringing the case to trial.

They were making their way back to their apartment in Benidorm after winning 200 euros in a game of bingo in a bar when a six-inch blade was held against Mrs Fielding’s neck.

They must now return to Spain just days before Christmas to give evidence at court, despite already being £900 out-of-pocket after travelling to a court hearing in May that was adjourned.

Mrs Fielding, a cleaner at Reedly Magistrates' Court, said the attack, in October last year, had left her frightened to go abroad again.

She said: “It was just after midnight and we were only five minutes away from the hotel when we saw a man running.

“We didn’t think anything of it, but then all of a sudden, he was holding a knife at the back of my neck.

“I was terrified and I screamed louder than I thought I ever could. Then I tripped over a kerb and fell to the floor.

“John grabbed a little umbrella I had been carrying and managed to wrestle the man away, and he eventually ran off without getting anything.”

Mr Fielding, a bus driver, suffered a small cut to a finger.

After a sleepless night, the couple went to report the incident to the local police station and identified the attacker from a pile of photographs.

Mrs Fielding said: “It happened on the second day and ruined the rest of our holiday. I wanted to get a flight home, but we couldn’t.”

They hoped returning to the UK would be the end of their ordeal, but now almost a year later, they have been dealt a further blow.

After the first court hearing was adjourned because defendant Jorge Mauricio Cardenas Florenz went missing, Mr and Mrs Fielding have received another court summons for December 21 - throwing their Christmas preparations into disarray.

If they do not fly out for the case, they could be arrested or fined up to €5,000 each.

Mrs Fielding said: “This year I said I’d have everyone round to our house for Christmas, but I won’t be able to think about preparations and having a nice time because this court case will be the only thing on my mind.

“We had to cancel another holiday to release funds to go over in May and we’ve not had any expenses back for that. We can’t really afford to go out there again and we have no holidays left from work, but we have to do it.

“We’ve promised to take two of our grandchildren out to Spain next year, and if we don’t go back to give evidence, we’ll be arrested at the airport with the grandchildren.”

Mr Fielding added: “It’s a farce. It’s disgusting how we were left to figure everything out for ourselves in another country in May, and we can’t get any help now.

“I’ve been onto the Foreign Office, the Spanish Consulate and the British Consulate, but they all pass the buck and won’t help.

“We’ve even asked the court about doing a video link up but they won’t have that.”