ARMED police were alerted following reports that a man had threatened a woman at knifepoint in Boscombe yesterday.

Officers attended an address in Christchurch Road and searched the surrounding area including the gardens of the Chine Hotel in Boscombe Spa Road.

Part of Undercliff Road near the approach to Boscombe Pier was sealed off and a police car was spotted at the end of Marina Road.

A member of staff at The Chine Hotel said: "There are armed police with dogs so there's something unusual going on but I can't tell what."

A Dorset police spokewoman later confirmed that officers had responded to a report that a man had threatened a woman with a knife before making off.

No-one was injured and there have been no arrests. The spokeswoman stressed that the man and woman were "known to each other."