Tommy Ward robbery: Two men arrested over brutal attack on 80-year-old great-grandfather in Maltby

Two men have been arrested in connection with a brutal attack on 80-year-old former soldier and miner Tommy Ward at his home in Maltby, South Yorkshire on 1 October (2015). One of the men was charged with attempted murder and aggravated burglary, and a teenage boy on suspicion of handling stolen goods. Both men are from the Rotherham area and remain in custody. Two other 19-year-old men arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and burglary were released on bail.

Great-grandfather Mr Ward suffered "significant" brain injuries, a broken jaw in two places and a snapped index finger in the attack at his home in which his life savings of around £30,000 along with a safe deposit box were stolen. A similar box was found in Rotherham two weeks later.

Although released from hospital, Mr Ward now requires ongoing care. His family have been left devastated and the close-knit community shocked by the brutal attack. A crowd-funding appeal by the Mirror raised the £30,000 to replace the stolen money within a few days but his family are far more concerned with hunting down the "monsters" who did this to a much-loved member of the family.

Detective Inspector Richard Partridge from South Yorkshire Police Force Crime Unit said: "This remains an incredibly active investigation and our officers continue to piece together what happened to Mr Ward in October last year. I'd like to issue a further appeal for information following the arrest of these two people, to encourage anyone living locally who hasn't yet come forward to speak to police.

"The public's assistance in this inquiry so far has been very helpful and we're very grateful to everyone who has provided information or offered their assistance as we investigate this brutal and shocking crime. We think that there are still people out there with information that could prove crucial and I'd urge those individuals to come forward. You can provide information in confidence or call Crimestoppers anonymously, if you aren't comfortable speaking directly to us."

Anyone with any information about the attack is asked to call 101 or email enquiries@southyorks.pnn.police.uk, quoting incident number 408 of 1 October 2015. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.