A MASKED man robbed a service station after threatening staff at knifepoint.

He struck at at Chesil Beach Motors on Portland last night terrifying the lone female member of staff.

The man, who was wearing a bandana over his face, entered the Esso Service Station in Easton Lane before producing the knife and threatening the woman.

He demanded she hand over the contents of the till and also grabbed a quantity of phone cards before fleeing.

Police launched a hunt for the man after the alarm was raised at 6.45pm last night.

Inspector Mike Hattam, of Dorset Police, said the woman was very shocked and upset but was uninjured in the incident.

The robber is described as white, in his late teens to early 20s, about 5ft 9in tall, and was wearing a baseball cap, a dark sports top and a black and white bandana tied around his face like a scarf.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have seen something or for anyone who may have any information to contact them.

Scenes of crime officers spent hours at the service station last night searching for clues while police scoured the island in an attempt to find the man.

Anyone able to help officers should ring (01305) 767474 or contact Crimestoppers in confidence on (0800) 555 111.

Coun Margaret Leicester, whose Tophill East ward covers the robbery site, hit out at policing cover on Portland following the robbery.

She said: "I feel that Portland has not had the best police cover it deserves and perhaps this incident will help to highlight the growing problems we seem to be facing on the island."