A WOMAN was threatened at knifepoint by a man in ski gear in Colchester this morning.

The suspect attempted to force her into her car after she attempted to visit the One Stop shop in North Station Road at about 6am this morning.

The victim said: "He pulled out a hunting knife. A man on the other side of the road was shouting. I was screaming."

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "A woman was by her parked Vauxhall Zafira outside the store when she was approached by a man wearing ski-wear.

"He threatened her with what appeared to be a hunting knife before running off in the direction of Castle Park.

"She was uninjured but badly shaken."

The man is white, in his 20s, of slim build and around 5 ft 10 ins tall. He was wearing ski clothing with a woollen hat, a scarf covering his face and ill fitting black and white moon boots.

Later that day a 22-year-old man from Colchester was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery. He has been released on police bail while enquiries continue until March 13.

Detectives want to speak to a man who was sleeping rough in a red sleeping bag with a blue holdall just a few metres from the incident, two men who chased the suspect away and a woman who was walking past pulling a small suitcase.

Anyone with information is asked to call Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

See the full story in Monday's Gazette.