A suspected armed robbery has taken place at a petrol station in Pontarddulais.

Witnesses have described how a man brandishing a hammer entered the Shell Garage on St Teilo Street demanding cigarettes and money at 6.35pm on Tuesday, January 31

A spokesman for South Wales Police described the raider as a white man in his thirties, approximately 5ft 9in, with a thick-set build. He spoke with a Welsh accent.

At the time of the robbery the man was said to be wearing a dark zip-up hoodie, jeans and a navy ribbed scarf which was used to cover the bottom half of his face.

One Facebook user wrote: “My friend walked in as the bloke was robbing it.

“He had a claw hammer and told her to get behind the counter, but she said no and ran out and rang the police”

Witnesses say that five marked police cars and a police dog section attended the scene.

Anyone who witnessed anything suspicious, or who has any information about the suspect, is asked to contact police via 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 1700039422.