DETECTIVES investigating the murder of a North-East businessman have traced two key vehicles - more than two years after the inquiry began.

Officers are continuing to hunt the killers of Peter Beaumont-Gowling, who was shot at close range at his home in Osborne Road, Jesmond, Newcastle, on Valentine's Day 2001.

The flamboyant cocaine baron, orginally from Trimdon, County Durham, had just finished serving four years of an 11-year prison sentence for his part in a £2.5m money-laundering scam.

The former restaurant owner, who once ran Perry's nightclub in Darlington and the town's Buzz bar, worked at international hotels before descending into the world of drugs.

Detective Superintendent Derek Storey, of Northumbria Police, who is heading the investigation, said they had now been able to trace two vehicles from the time of the murder.

The driver of a blue Ford Transit seen in Sanderson Road and the occupant of a blue/green Range Rover seen in Osborne Road have been interviewed and eliminated from the inquiry.

They were traced through detailed analysis of security TV footage, and 500 blue Transit vans and 180 Range Rovers were traced and eliminated during the past two years.

Det Supt Storey said: "This has been a very complex and difficult investigation because of the lifestyle of Mr Gowling, which has generated hundreds of inquiries across Britain and overseas.

"Now that we have traced the vehicles and interviewed the drivers the investigation is much more focused and I am confident we will ultimately catch those responsible for the murder of Peter Beaumont-Gowling."

A reward of up to £25,000 is still available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room in confidence on 0191-214 6555, extension 52512.