A £10,000 REWARD has been put up to catch two robbers who beat up a middle-aged woman in her New Forest home before tying her up and gagging her.

The 53-year-old husband of the victim has offered the cash for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thugs who got away with what police described as a "substantial" amount of cash and jewellery.

Detectives spent yesterday trying to piece together vital information about the victim's ordeal at the hands of the two masked men.

The woman's husband had just left for work when she woke on Friday morning to find two men wearing balaclavas in the bedroom of her Emery Down cottage. It took her 30 minutes to struggle free after she was hit and then bound and gagged by the intruders. She also fell down the stairs in a frantic bid to summon help. But by the time she freed herself, her attackers had made their getaway.

Police, who are still not releasing the name of the victim, said she had been "very traumatised" by the incident. She was taken to Southampton General Hospital, where she spent most of Friday before being allowed home.

Det Sgt Colin Nagle said: "She is still very shaken up." The robbers escaped with gold coins, plus a women's gold-and-diamond Rolex watch and a men's gold Rolex watch in the raid, which happened between 7.45am and 8am on Friday.

Call police on 0845 045 4545.