A ROBBER threatened to punch a staff member in an early hours raid at a petrol station.

The man demanded alcohol and made threats after entering the Esso service station in Blandford Road, Hamworthy in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Police were called just before 3am and discovered damage had been caused to a door and a bottle of alcohol had been stolen.

Specialist forensics officers have examined the scene of the incident.

A 20-year-old man from Poole has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and is helping officers with their enquiries.