AN ex-convict is so sickened by a wave of muggings on elderly people that he wants to put a price on the heads of those responsible.

Former hard man Rod Jones, 52, is inviting like-minded business people to help him set up a reward fund, directed by Cleveland Police.

Unemployed Mr Jones is starting the kitty with his £500 life savings. That is being matched by haulier John Heads, of Stockton firm Auto Recovery, and Dennis Wickham, owner of the Longlands Hotel, Middlesbrough.

Mr Jones said: "Let's declare war on these street thugs and make Middlesbrough a no-go area for muggers.

"If their associates will not shop them on principle, they will shop them for the money.''

Last week, an 81-year-old Redcar man was beaten up and left in a pool of blood.

Hours later, in Middlesbrough, a 65-year-old woman had her arm broken by two masked muggers as they tried to snatch her handbag.

"Everyone is outraged by these muggings," said Mr Jones.

"The consensus of opinion is the scum who beat up frail old people for pocket money should be taken off the streets.

"Villains and ex-villains don't want anything to do with these people, and they don't regard shopping them as grassing them up or informing.''

Mr Jones, who founded the charity Convoy Aid, said the fund should also be used to ensure the conviction of conmen who target pensioners' homes.

He said: "If the reward is big enough people will shop them, but magistrates have to follow that up by giving them time for it.''

Dave Punshon, chief executive of Age Concern Teesside, said: "I applaud Rod Jones for what he wants to do, but as a society we should be concentrating our energies more on preventing this, and catching the low lifes responsible.''

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: "A reward system operates through CrimeStoppers, but any initiative to combat thugs who prey on the elderly and vulnerable is worth examining."