THE widow of a the Poundland stabbing victim met a Government minister today as part of her fight to get shops to sell knives safely.

Gulsen Alkan, who lost her husband Justin Skrebowski after he was killed in Abingdon on December 7, set up an online petition last week demanding retailers change their knife policy.

She choked back tears to read her petition to press, which is backed by Abingdon and West Oxford MP Nicola Blackwood, thanking the 13,000 people who have signed the petition so far.

She added: "It just proves that I'm doing right, being supported by many people. The public gives me support to go ahead and carry on doing what I'm doing and push, with Nicola's help, and get something positive out of this tragedy. I don't deserve that. My husband didn't deserve that. 

"It just shows how important my husband is for me, that's why I'm here. I'll do everything for him. It's not just for us, the Skrebowski family, it's for others who could be a victim."

Her antiques dealer husband was 61 when he was stabbed to death in Abingdon's Bury Street branch of the bargain store, on her 39th birthday. 

She spoke at Westminster's Portcullis House in London after meeting minister Karen Bradley, supported on either side by Mr Skrebowski's colleague Peter Street, and Ms Blackwood. 

The MP will meet this afternoon with hundreds of retail representatives to present the petition, urging them to act.

She said: "You can see the ground swell of public support, that knives should be kept out of reach. I really believe guidelines should be sufficient and it should not require legislation.

"Other families have commented on the petition who believe this change could have protected them. This is a change that would have widespread benefits.

"It's time for retailers to start taking better responsibility, with the backing of the government. Some retailers already act responsibly but others simply don't take those steps. This needs to be happening in every store - it just takes one wrong opportunity for a terrible tragedy for another family. It's a straightforward step."

Mr Street, who worked with Mr Skrebowski in their joinery workshop in Shippon, spoke of the fateful day. 

He said: "It was just a normal day. Justin went into Abingdon from the workshop to buy gifts for Gulsen and the children. And he never came back. 

"The police have been very helpful with family liaison. It's been a struggle. The victim often gets forgotten - it's been a difficult three months. Nicola has helped with transport to get the kids to school which is giving them stability and normality. Gulsen lost her breadwinner and her driver." 

Ms Blackwood, who had already questioned David Cameron about knife safety in the aftermath of the attack, commended Mrs Alkan's bravery.

She said: "She's extremely brave. This is the kind of event that could completely destroy a person but she is putting her life back together. She's really standing up strong trying to do something positive, trying to make sure this doesn't happen to anybody else."

Mrs Alkan, who worked with Mr Skrebowski as a picture framer and guilder for 12 years, lives in North Oxford with their three-year-old twins. 

Her petition speaks of preventing other families falling victim to the grief that “broke her heart” by demanding knife retailers keep them in a locked cupboard.

In the petition, she wrote: “Justin went to Poundland in Abingdon to buy some balloons for our small children.

“It’s hard to believe that it was that easy to pick up a knife. That’s why I’ve started this petition to urge retailers to review how knives are displayed.”

Mrs Alkan added: “Some shops lock knives in cases but many do not.

"I think that all shops should put knives in locked cases behind the counter, or in secure packaging, so they cannot easily be taken and used.

“Cigarettes are kept out of sight behind the counter; are cigarettes more dangerous than knives?

“It breaks my heart that I wasn’t there for my husband when he was killed. I want to do something now.”

She appealed to the British Retail Consortium, which represents high-street retailers, to create safety guidelines relating to knife sales for shops to sign up to.

She said that she hoped to get the backing of the Home Office.

The petition was set up on Wednesday last week and addressed to Home Secretary Theresa May.

It is not the first to be set up in relation to the stabbing.

In December, Bicester resident Sharon Kirkwood, who was traumatised after witnessing the attack, campaigned for the same cause.

Trevor Joyce, 36, of Franklyn Close in Abingdon, has been charged with murder.