A man has been charged following an armed robbery at a business in Bonnells Bay earlier today.

About 1.10pm today (Thursday 15 January 2015) a man entered a newsagency on Fishery Point Road armed with a piece of metal and threatened the female store owner demanding money.

The woman was not injured during the robbery.

The man took a quantity of cash and fled to a car which was parked nearby.

Police from Lake Macquarie Local Area Command were alerted and commenced a search of the area.

A short time later police located and stopped a vehicle which was travelling on Freemans Drive at Freemans Waterhole.

Police detained a 26-year-old man and two females in the vehicle which was seized for forensic examination.

The man was later charged with armed robbery and an outstanding warrant.

He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Friday 16 January 2015).

The two women were released pending further inquiries.