DETECTIVES are hunting a masked robber who struck at a North Dorset estate agent’s office yesterday morning.

The raider was wearing a dark scarf and balaclava when he burst into Chaffers, which acts as agent for the Yorkshire Building Society, on Salisbury Street, Blandford, at 11.17am.

Staff at Ashley’s barber shop in the nearby Anchor Gateway cut through to Salisbury Road said they saw they robber preparing for the raid.

Proprietor, Ashley Wright, said: “There was a guy stood there dressed head to foot in black and wearing a ski mask.

“You could only see his eyes and nose.

“He walked down the alleyway and we thought he looked strange.

“About four minutes later he came legging it back past here.

“The next minute, a policeman rushed in here.

“He asked if I had seen a man in a balaclava.

“He must have been getting ready.”

The raider threatened staff before fleeing with an undisclosed sum of money.

A Dorset Police spokesman said no one had been injured during the daring daylight raid.

It is not known whether a weapon was involved. Staff from nearby shops said they had been alerted to the incident by a high police presence, which included the Dorset Police helicopter.

CSI officers worked at the scene until about 3.30pm, examining the premises and interviewing staff, who declined to speak to the Daily Echo about the incident.

The offender is about 5 ft 8 in tall with a medium build and was wearing black shoes and white latex gloves.

• Witnesses and anyone with information should call 01202 22222 quoting incident number 07:181 or call the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.