Police are appealing for public assistance following an armed robbery near Maitland overnight.

About 8pm (Sunday 10 May 2015), a man entered a hotel via Young Street, Heddon Greta, and threatened the manager with a firearm.

The man fled the location with cash a short time later.

Witnesses saw the man getting into a vehicle that was parked on Young Street, near the intersection of Trenchard Street.

The vehicle was last seen heading north toward Cliftleigh.

No one was injured during the incident.

Officers attached to Central Hunter Local Area Command were contacted and launched an investigation.

A crime scene was established at the location and examined by detectives.

Inquiries into the matter are continuing and police would now like to speak with a man who may be able to assist in the investigation.

The man is described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in his early 20s, about 178cm tall, with dark-coloured eyes and of a skinny build.

He was last seen wearing a dark-coloured hooded-jumper, long dark pants, tan-coloured garden style gloves and a white bandana across his face.

Anyone who knows the man’s identity, or has any information that could assist police, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Child Abuse Squad detectives have charged an 18-year-old man with the aggravated indecent assault of a four-year-old girl at a library in Cessnock, in the state’s Hunter region.

Police were told the girl was in the library’s play area on Wednesday 6 May 2015 when she was approached by an 18-year-old man.

The man allegedly kissed and touched the child before he was challenged by a witness. The man was not known to the child.

Detectives from the Child Abuse Squad at Newcastle commenced investigations and arrested an 18-year-old man at Cessnock Police Station on Friday afternoon.

He was charged with aggravated indecent assault and granted conditional bail to appear at Cessnock Local Court on Wednesday 20 May 2015.

The Child Abuse Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate crimes against children, including sexual assault, physical abuse and serious cases of neglect. The squad works with the Department of Family and Community Services and NSW Health.

A business has been destroyed following a fire at Willow Tree in the Hunter Valley Local Area Command last night.

Just before 8pm (Saturday 9 May 2015), emergency services attended New England Highway after receiving information about a building well alight.

The antique store, which is no longer trading, was entirely engulfed in flames and as a precautionary measure neighbouring properties were evacuated.

As a result of the incident the highway was blocked for over four hours. No one was injured.

A crime scene has been established and an exclusion zone was implemented due to toxic smoke.

Investigations are continuing into the circumstances surrounding the incident; however, police are treating it as suspicious.