Google Street View has finally arrived in Lincolnshire – allowing people to take a virtual, 360 degree look at anywhere on the map at the click of a button.

At its most basic, it offers people the chance to look at their homes online and see if Google caught them on camera.

Anyone wanting to buy a house can also now zoom in on the property – while those with a meeting can easily track down the nearest coffee shop.

Privacy fears have been raised by campaigners.

But for many, the new service has simply given people a good excuse to surf around what is a massive new library of snapshots of ordinary life.

One woman who lives in Shakespeare Street, Lincoln can be seen bending over to spray her plants, while another is hanging out the washing in Westwick Gardens.

Others can be seen buying their lunch or simply taking a stroll through the city.

Google took the images using cars with specially mounted cameras.

Privacy group Big Brother Watch says many see the cameras as "an upsetting invasion of privacy".

Director Alex Deane said: "When it arrives somewhere for the first time, those who are concerned about being captured should check it to see if they or their property are now on worldwide public view."

The woman caught bending down to tend to her plants – who asked not to be named – told the Echo she had some concerns about the programme.

"I think it's a bit intrusive," she said.

"I don't mind pictures of streets in order to pinpoint where they are, but I don't think they should go as close as they do."

Google bosses will hope the new device becomes as popular as the Google Map service.