A group of kind-hearted businesspeople have put up a £500 reward to help catch the thugs who tricked a defenceless pensioner.

The Basildon Round Table became the third group to come to the aid of 90-year-old Connie Langford, whose home was burgled by three conniving teenagers.

Mrs Langford has already received £150 in donations from the League of Gentlemen businessmen's group and the Basildon Concord Rotary Club after three teenagers tricked their way into Mrs Langford's Laindon home last Thursday before stealing £500. She was left with just 75p to sustain her for several weeks.

Rotary Club spokesman Russell Quirk said members had been horrified by the incident and felt moved to offer a reward to catch the "disgusting" people involved.

Mr Quirk said: "We were talking about this and were appalled by the nature of the crime and felt moved to offer a reward of £500 for the successful conviction of those involved.

"There is so much crime these days that people almost ignore it but in this case a particularly old lady has been treated in a cruel and heartless way that goes even further beyond the line than most crimes."

The group will liaise with the police and have promised to pay the reward to the person whose information leads to the conviction of the thieves.

Essex Police called on anyone who knows anything about the incident to come forward.