Crimestoppers and the ACS have offered a reward of up to £20,000 for crucial information on the attempted murder of shopkeeper in east London.

The organisations are offering the reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the attack and attempted murder and attempted robbery of a shop owner and his employee in Plaistow, London.

The attack happened on October 31 last year at The Show Supermarket, on the High Street in Plaistow, where two people entered the shop and demanded money at around 11.45pm.

As they were chasing the robbers out of the shop, the retailer and his assistant were fired on with a sawn-off shotgun. A single shot resulted in a life-threatening injury to the shop owner, who was taken to hospital and later fell into a coma, which he remained in for more than two weeks.

The employee, who was close by, received injuries from the shot and sustained wounds on his leg and abdomen, which were treated in hospital.

Regan Hook, Crimestoppers campaigns manager for London, said: “This is a terrifying ordeal for these two men to have gone through and standing up to the two suspects almost cost them their lives.

“We are offering a reward of up to £20,000 to anyone who can supply us with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for this callous incident, so I would urge anyone who knows anything to come forward and ensure this crime does not go unpunished.”

The Crimestoppers number is 0800 555 111 .