A Whanganui dairy has been robbed at gunpoint.

Police were called to the Durie Street Dairy on Durie Hill just after two this afternoon.

Senior Sergeant Steve Crawford said a man wearing all black and a multicoloured motorcycle helmet threatened the dairy worker with a pistol, stole some items from the store and ran towards the local school.

He said they want to hear from anyone who saw the man.

The threatened worker is extremely distressed but not hurt.