DETECTIVES are hoping new forensic evidence will help to catch an armed gang who shot a wealthy businessman at point blank range.

Peter Stephenson was blasted in the head with a shotgun during a struggle in the grounds of his Kepwick Hall country home, near Thirsk, last Tuesday night.

The 52-year-old chairman of oil company Able UK, and his partner, Karen Dewer, had confronted three men who were spotted prowling the gardens just after 8pm.

Mr Stephenson was wounded as he grappled with one of the intruders, before they sped off in a Peugeot 206 belonging to his daughter, Rachel, who had unwittingly walked in on the scene.

The silver car was discovered on Thursday evening on fire in Stockton-on-the-Forest, near York.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Officers will be searching that area and the car will be examined by our forensics experts. Meanwhile, we are continuing house to house inquiries in the villages around Kepwick."

Mr Stephenson has been discharged from the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, and has spoken at great length to detectives who are aiming to build up a picture of the gang, thought to be two white men and one black man.

Witnesses are asked to contact a special police hotline on (01609) 768060.