RESIDENTS of a small Lanarkshire village have offered their condolences to the family of a pensioner who was murdered by youths as he tried to stop his car being stolen.

Floral tributes and cards have been left at the scene where pensioner James Simpson, known locally as Jimmy, was knocked down and killed by his own car.

The 76-year-old had been enjoying a quiet night at home with his wife Minnie, 72, when he suffered severe injuries and died after tackling thieves outside his home in Ashgill, on the outskirts of Larkhall, Lanarkshire, on Tuesday night.

Mr Simpson is understood to have lived in the same house for around 45 years and was a well-respected and liked member of the former mining community.

The horrific attack has devastated those who are now mourning the death of a "very brave" man.

One bouquet of flowers was placed at the scene on behalf of all residents of Ashgill.

It read: "Mr Simpson, you died a very brave man.

"All of Ashgill are thinking of you."

Another anonymous floral tribute read: "Thoughts to all the family. Such a sad loss."

Mr Simpson, described as a "quiet gentleman", was known for his love of cars and was often seen cleaning and polishing his black Land Rover Discovery which was recovered by police an hour after the attack in the nearby village of Crossford.

The vehicle is now undergoing forensic tests in a bid to trace those responsible for the killing with police reportedly focusing inquiries on a number of local crime groups.

One theory under considera-tion is the Land Rover Discovery, which costs around £35,000 when bought new, was to be stolen to order.

Detectives were unable to speak to Mr Simpson's widow on Wednesday as she was too distressed by the sudden loss of her husband.

Yesterday, one local said: "That's two days on and it still hasn't sunk in. Mr Simpson was a lovely man and was well-respected by a lot of people in Ashgill. He had lived in the house for almost 45 years with his wife. Everyone is struggling to come to terms with how someone could do this."

Detectives were yesterday continuing with a murder inquiry and the street where the incident took place remained closed off as police stepped up their search for the killer.

A white tent covered the entrance of the house with the front door, which had been boarded up, stripped back to allow scene-of-crime officers access.

Forensic examiners could also be seen scouring the road outside Mr Simpson's detached home.

A team of 10 investigators trawled over the small area of road and pavement where the pensioner lost his life, while a police helicopter hovered above.

Machinery from South Lanarkshire Council was also brought in to empty drains in Graham Place while officers raked through the findings.

Last night, a spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "The inquiry is ongoing."

No-one has been arrested in connection with Mr Simpson's death or detained by police for questioning.