How to delete an email account from an inactive phone?

Hi all....

I was using an HTC 750 from MetroPCS, and had my email account set up and working on it. I have upgraded to a new phone and now want to delete the email account (And my banking account) from the HTC so that I can sell it.

However, when I go to "remove account", the phone tries to go online, and then says "unable to look up network address", and my account is still there.

Likewise, when I try to delete my bank account from the phone, it tries to go online and then says "cannot connect".

How do

I delete these accounts from the phone, or do I have to get it re-activated, delete them, then deactivate it again?

Richard