DETECTIVES are offering a £20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder of James Stanton, 11 years after he was killed.

The vehicle thought to have been used by the perpetrators - a blue Toyota Avensis, registration DM53 MKK - was found burnt out on Blindfoot Road, Rainford, on July 25, the day after the murder.

Police believe two men were responsible for the death of the 58-year-old grandfather from Thornton, and that they fled the scene in the car, which had been stolen from Sefton Street in Liverpool two months before the murder.

Mr Stanton was shot at his business premises, Aintree Commercial Vehicles on Ormskirk Road, Aintree, on July 24, 2006.

His widow Jean said: "Jim left for work 11 years ago for just another day in the office and he never came home.

"The brutal and callous way that he was taken from us will always follow us and at the moment there are no answers which will help heal the scars from that fateful day."

DS Dave Brunskill said: "The incident happened on a main route in and out of the city centre at rush hour and I would urge anyone who was around at the time, either on foot or in a car, to cast their mind back and let us know if they saw anything at all unusual.

"I believe there are people within the community, and especially the criminal fraternity, who will know who was responsible for Jim’s death."

Anyone with information can call detectives on 0800 230 0600, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.