A father shot outside his home may have been shot by two men who staked out his house for hours before he was killed.

David Draycott, 40, was shot moments after stepping from his car in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, last October.

Detectives had believed he was the victim of a single killer, but they now hope to trace two men seen in Woodlands Way.

Mr Draycott crawled to a neighbour's house to raise the alarm after being shot but died in hospital four days later.

David Draycott was 40 when he was killed

Detective Superintendent Ash Parfrement said on Tuesday they had been given information that Mr Draycott may have been killed by a hitman and his accomplice.

"Witnesses have told us that two white men were seen in a small Peugeot vehicle, probably silver, parked outside Mr Draycott's home for around two hours before the killing.

"It may be that a person who wanted him dead shot him himself, or that the gunman was hired and working with accomplices.

"This was a premeditated killing, we have no doubt that Mr Draycott was the sole target."

Victim's past

Mr Parfrement said that 25 officers based at an incident room in Mansfield had conducted extensive inquiries into the victim's background and business activities.

The team established that the father-of-two had previously been the director of a sheet metal firm in the Mansfield area, but had several other interests.

"The reason behind this killing is from his past and from his background in general," said Mr Parfrement.

"We believe that local people who may not be directly involved will know something about his background and about who may have carried out this killing."

Police and family members have offered a �30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killers.