PENSIONERS are living in fear in a Derwentside village after a 70-year-old man was savagely beaten in his home.

The victim was attacked when he awoke to find two men stealing property at his home in Leadgate, Consett.

Det Insp Simon Orton, who is in charge of the investigation, said other pensioners have contacted him to say they are terrified.

Police believe the victim may have been attacked so savagely to scare him into not contacting the authorities. He had called out in fright as he was awoken in the early hours of Saturday.

The robbers forced him to lie face down on the floor and then used a cosh to repeatedly beat him on the head, back, neck and hands.

After the attackers left, the man managed to stagger to a nearby telephone kiosk where he rang 999.

He was taken to hospital with severe injuries but was later released and is recovering at a friend's house.

Det Insp Orton said: "It was a particularly viscious, cynical and calculated beating of this elderly man. This could easily have been a murder investigation."

He added that the men had forced the man to look away so he could not see their faces. Both men are believed to be in their twenties and had local accents.

The crime has shocked the community of Leadgate and landlords of the Golden Lion pub in the village, Pam and Billy Thompson, have offered a reward for information leading to the attack. On Sunday customers raised £90 towards the reward.

A number of violent crimes have occurred in Leadgate recently.

Last month three youths were badly beaten and taken to hospital after an unprovoked attack. Last December Newcastle Crown Court heard how a Leadgate man was nearly killed after being beaten about the head with the metal end of a table leg after a drunken row with friends.

Investigations into one of the North-East's worst-ever murders, that of Leadgate woman Julie Smailes, who was stabbed 50 times before dying, are on-going.

But Consett police sought to assure the public that violent crimes of that nature remain extremely rare.

Police say anyone in Durham Road or Front Street in Leadgate between 3.45am and 4.30am could have vital information.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Consett police on (01207) 504204 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.