A cash reward offered for the arrest and conviction of a vicious attacker has still not been claimed.

Retired phone engineer Joe Shackleton was beaten up by a gang of teenagers in December as he tidied graves at Undercliffe Cemetery.

Mr Shackleton, 63, had his skull cracked from one of his eye sockets to his nose and from his temple to his ear and needed surgery to insert a metal plate into his face.

Police began a hunt for a gang of about six teenage Asian boys and girls in connection with the attack and trustees from the Undercliffe Cemetery Charity offered a £200 reward but three months on no-one has come forward yet to reveal the attacker's identity.

The attack happened when Mr Shackleton and a friend had been litter-picking and spotted a group of youths jumping on graves.

Mr Shackleton told them to leave but received verbal abuse and was hit by the biggest boy of the group who he says was more than 6ft tall and aged about 15.

Mr Shackleton remembered his attacker was wearing a navy blue crew-neck sweater with a badge emblem and red writing on it.

He even tried doing his own detective work to trace the badge to local schools by going a school outfitters but failed to find a match.

"The police are still on to it but they've told me there's no news. No one has come forward, they won't split on their friends even for £200," said Mr Shackleton, who was too worried about reprisals to be photographed.

Since the operation to re-build his fractured skull, Mr Shackleton has returned to work as one of a small team of volunteers dedicated to the up-keep of the Victorian cemetery.

"I've been back to the cemetery to keep doing my bit and everything has been fine. It's all gone very quiet, there's not been many kids about but the problems tend to come and go in trends," he said.

Over the years, the cemetery has been plagued by problems, especially young people using it as a meeting place.

Undercliffe Cemetery Charity trustee Colin Clark said there had been no problems since the attack but the offer of the reward was still open.

"It hasn't flushed anyone out yet but the offer still stands," he said.

Investigations have included police officers in talks with local schools. A spokesman confirmed no arrest had been made but officers were still keen for information.

Anyone with any knowledge should telephone the police at Lawcroft House on (01274) 376259 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.