A SPURNED lover turned up in his ex girlfriend's garden armed with a knife, Bolton Crown Court heard.

The terrified girl called the police after spotting Andrew Whenlock outside her home in Halliwell.

Whenlock, of Chorley Old Road, had earlier threatened to stab the 17-year-old during a phone conversation.

The 25-year-old made up to 30 phone calls a day to his ex after she had ended their relationship because of his behaviour in August last year. He refused to accept her decision and harangued her prompting her to block his number and on social media.

Whenlock took to using an unknown number, and she still ignored the calls, suspecting they would be from him.

But after answering a call on September 10, Whenlock launched a tirade of abuse at her, accusing her of seeing one of his friends.

He then threatened to "smash her face in", saying he would stab and kill her. She panicked and called the police, but Whenlock had gone by the time they arrived.

David Toal, prosecuting, said: "She is scared to go back home as he knows where she lives. She fears he may come round and cause problems again."

Whenlock had served five months in custody prior to the case being heard and had pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon and harassment at a previous hearing.

Judge Eliot Knopf sentenced Whenlock to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. He was also given a restraining order for the next five years, which bans him from contacting the victim, her sister and three of her friends.