DETECTIVES hunting the men involved in the shooting of an IRA informer have revealed they may have a genetic fingerprint of one of his attackers.

And nearly a year to the day after the shooting, they have reissued an artist's impression of one of the three men suspected of planning of the crime.

Ulsterman Martin McGartland, 29, was gunned down as he sat in his car in Duchess Street, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.

The double-agent, who claims to have saved 50 lives by tipping off police about IRA terrorist attacks, survived the attack and has been moved to a secret address.

Making a new appeal for public help to trace the culprits, Detective Superintendent Chris Symonds said last night that police had obtained DNA evidence, which is strongly believed could link a presently unidentified person to the conspiracy to murder Mr McGartland.

Police also released a photograph of the gun used to shoot the man - a Czech-made 9mm CZ pistol, found south of the Tyne, near the Redheugh Bridge, Gateshead, together with a similar weapon and ammunition.

The external metal surfaces of the gun had been painted black, which is not the normal manufacturer's finish.

Three men believed to have been involved in the preparation of the shooting may have stayed in the region for ten days before the crime, in the Saltwell Park, Shipcote, Deckham, Teams or Bensham areas of Gateshead.

Mr Symond's said: "It is a long time ago now, but we would ask everybody living in the Gateshead area to think back to late May, early June 1999, and try to remember anybody unusual staying with neighbours or nearby.

"We believe that at least some of the suspects were from outside the North-East and that they had Scottish or Irish accents and used a red car."

Investigators still need to trace the red saloon car, described as an older style square-shaped four-door car, similar to a Nissan Bluebird.

It was possibly H registered, with a black coachwork trim around the middle.

Anyone with information should call the police on (01661) 869675.