DETECTIVES investigating reports of an armed robbery in north Dorset have released an image of a man they would like to speak with.

Dorset Police say that on Wednesday, June 30, around 1.36pm, a man – who was in possession of a handgun – entered the Co-op in Beaufoy Close, Shaftesbury, and demanded money from a shop worker.

He left with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Now, Detective Inspector Nicky Jenkins, of Weymouth CID, said: "Since the incident we have been making a number of enquiries and are now in a position to release a CCTV image of the suspect.

"I am hoping that the image will jog somebody’s memory and I urge anyone who recognises the man or has any information about who it might be to contact us as soon as possible.

"We have also received information that a man of similar appearance as the suspect was seen in the Longmead Industrial Estate in the weeks leading up to the incident. However, we have not been able to confirm these sightings.

“I am appealing to anyone who may have information about this man walking through the industrial estate to come forward as this might enable us to discount him from our enquiries.”

A man has been arrested in connection to the incident and has been released under investigation.