POLICE are investigating an armed robbery in which a man with a large knife made off with alcohol, cash and cigarettes.

Officers were called to the Co-op store in Oak Tree Parade, Bransgore, at 9pm yesterday.

A police spokesman said: "A man was reported to have threatened staff at the store. He left with a holdall filled with alcohol and cigarettes, along with an amount of cash."

Police said the raider was armed with a "large knife" but were unable to confirm reports on social media that the weapon was a machete.

A police helicopter was used in the search for the knifeman and is reported to have circled overhead forat least half an hour.

The value of the property stolen in the raid is still being totted up.

A notice in the front window of the store says: "Due to an incident last night the store will be closed until further notice."

The same shop was targeted by ram-raiders in April 2015.

A stolen Land Rover Defender was driven into the front of the store and a group of men attempted to remove the cash machine inside.

But they were unsuccessful and nothing was taken from the shop.

The men left the scene in a silver Honda Accord that was later found abandoned several miles away in Brook.

Anyone with information about the latest incident should call Hampshire police on 101, quoting crime reference number 44180019211.