Police are appealing for public assistance as investigations continue into an attempted armed hold up in the Maitland area late last year.

About 4.15pm on Saturday 22 December 2018, a man entered a service station on Mulbring Street, Stanford Merthyr, with his face concealed.

Officers have been told he threatened the attendant with a pipe wrench and demanded money.

He fled a short time later empty-handed and the attendant was not injured.

The incident is being investigated by Cessnock detectives, who are attached to the Hunter Valley Police District.

As investigations continue, detectives would like to speak with a man described as being aged in his early 20s, about 165cm tall, with a thin build. At the time he was wearing a dark hooded jumper, dark long pants and black work boots.

Investigators have also released images of a vehicle believed to have been involved, which is depicted as a white Holden Commodore sedan with black coloured steel rims.