A £5,000 reward is being offered to catch the burglar who broke into the home of RAF veteran Robert Morris who later died from a stroke.

The Argus has joined the effort by printing hundreds of reward posters which were being distributed throughout Sussex today.

Police are treating the case as a burglary but Mr Morris's family are convinced shock from the break-in killed him and are demanding the case be upgraded to one of murder or manslaughter.

Mr Morris's son Alan intends to lobby MPs and he vowed: "I will bang on doors all the way to 10 Downing Street, if necessary."

The £5,000 reward from Brighton and Hove police is for information leading to arrest and conviction.

Mr Morris, 84, suffered a stroke days after the first break in on March 19 at his home in Marine Drive, Saltdean. He and his wife were watching TV when a door was smashed in. Mrs Morris, 82, forced the intruder out.

A second raid happened on May 20 while Mrs Morris was visiting her husband in hospital.

Mr Morris died on Sunday and his widow has called it murder.

She said: "The man has not just taken my husband's life but he has stolen mine as well. We were together 58 years and I don't know what to do with myself now. I can't contemplate life without him."

Alan Morris, 57, is planning to write to Sussex Chief Constable Ken Jones and he, too, is offering a "substantial" reward. He said: "This was manslaughter, plain and simple."

Mrs Morris, who kept a vigil by her husband's hospital bed, will put a rose cut from their garden into her husband's hand for his funeral at Woodvale Crematorium, Brighton, today.

Detective Inspector Jacqui Griffiths said: "Although this matter will not be dealt with as a manslaughter or a murder case, this is a terrible crime and we want people to come forward."

Items stolen in the second break-in included a Chinese-style porcelain vase which has seven small Chinese children clinging to it. The vase is black with coloured flowers, with a red ribbon tied around the neck.

A number of items of jewellery were stolen, including a Coco Chanel double string 18in pearl necklace and a Seiko gent's dress watch, gold in colour with a gold coloured metal strap. Photographic equipment was taken, including a Minolta and two Ensign cameras.

The suspect in the first raid is white, 30, stocky, about 5ft 2in, with shaved dark hair.

Anyone with information should call Brighton CID on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.