Smile Lincoln, you're on Google Street View

By [bbanks]

Detailed images of Lincoln residents' cars, homes and streets will soon appear on the Internet as part of Google's Street View tool.

The search engine firm's distinctive imaging cars were this week spotted cruising streets and snapping views of the city.

The controversial tool, which allows Internet users to get a 360 degree view of an area and zoom in close to residents' homes, was first launched in March with street scenes of 25 UK cities.

Google spokesman, Laura Scott, said the company had not yet confirmed a date for the Lincoln images to go live on the Internet.

"At the moment we are driving around the city and taking images," she said. "These photos will then be stitched together. It's a pretty complex, long process so we can't give an exact date that they will be available.

"We don't generally give out exact time frames because it can take many months to complete the process."

Ms Scott said she also could not confirm whether Lincoln was the only location in the county to be photographed.

So far the white Google cars, which have large imaging equipment on the roof, have been spotted in Outer Circle Road, St Rumbold's Street and John Street in the city.

Matthew Ashford (28), of John Street, off Monks Road, said he welcomed Google's visit to the city.

"I saw the Google car on my street at about 8am yesterday," he said. "I think it must have snapped me as I walked across the road. I'm definitely going to have a look when it's up and running. It's about time they got around to doing Lincoln."

For the full story see Wednesday's Lincolnshire Echo.