Police are investigating the attempted armed robbery of a 59-year-old woman at a service station at Helensvale this afternoon.

Around 2.50pm the woman was in her vehicle in the car park of the Helensvale Road service station when a man opened the car door and removed the keys from the ignition.

The man produced a knife before demanding the woman hand over her purse.

The woman continued to refuse the man’s demands before the man threw the keys on the ground and fled in the passenger’s side of a nearby silver sedan.

No one was physically injured during the incident.

The man is described as being about 170cm tall with a slim build and wearing a black tracksuit and a white mask.

Police believe this incident and the attempted armed robbery of an Ashmore hotel bottle shop this afternoon may be linked.