CHRISTMAS can be the most difficult time of year for those who have lost a loved one, as Jacqueline Phillips knows all too well.

She lost her husband, Leslie John Phillips, who was 71, to prostate cancer in 2014, and as Christmas approaches this year, she knows she will miss him all the more acutely.

Ex-Navy officer Leslie was a popular resident of Worcester, and a keen supporter of Worcester City FC. At just 16, he attained the coveted rank of junior instructor whilst he trained at HMS Ganges – he was one of just eight to be picked out 1,500.

Jacqueline and Leslie married in February 1974 and lived in Worcester, where they had two children and enjoyed a long and happy marriage.

She described him as a “loving husband”, “good father” and a “family man”.

Now living alone in Worcester, Jacqueline said that time has lessened the pain of losing Leslie but that she'll never truly overcome her grief: "It’s not the same but it gets easier every year.”

Leslie passed away at St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester and Jacqueline praised the care he received and the support offered to her, saying: “They knew how to approach things.”

St Richard’s head of family support Sarah Popplestone-Helm told the Worcester News: “Christmas is such a special time of year; a time for sharing happy moments with family and friends, but families that have lost a loved one can find this a particularly lonely and isolating time. We offer children and other family members the opportunity to express their feelings in a safe and comfortable environment and to talk about their memories of their loved one.”