​Tourists and residents will today be able to walk the streets of Gloucestershire today – without leaving their own homes.

Google Street View, billed as the most comprehensive 360 degree map of Britain ever made, is being extended from a few select cities to almost every street in the UK - including Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud and surrounding towns and villages.

The street-level imagery, which covers 238,000 miles of public road, will give viewers a look at the area as if they were walking it themselves.

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Montpellier on Street View

Gloucester City Council leader Paul James, who is also cabinet member for regeneration, said: “I think this will be a useful tool for visitors to see just what Gloucester has to offer.

“Anything that increases tourism and puts Gloucester on the map has to be a good thing.”

The technology will also allow people to check out a restaurant before arriving, make travel plans, arrange meeting points, get a helping hand with geography homework, or just get to know their area better.

Dominic Stevens, of Marketing Gloucester, said: “I think it is a really positive thing for the city.

“People will be able to see the Docks, the Cathedral and our other historic sites before they visit and I think it is a really good idea and definitely positive for the area.”

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Westgate Street

Google first launched imagery for 25 cities in the UK in March 2009 and has since been processing and stitching together more pictures collected by its cars to help the UK join countries like Spain, France, Italy and the US, which already enjoy nationwide coverage in Street View.

Some people, however, have worries about privacy.

Cyndy and Stephen Pond, from Orchard End in Staunton, saw the camera by their house a few months ago.

Cyndy said: “I think it is rather intrusive. If you have an open garden then it is not so bad but we have an eight foot fence but they still peered over. It is a bit of a cheek.

“It can see straight into your house and I am a bit worried about privacy from it.”

Campaigner Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, is also concerned about the privacy implications of Street View after a number of people contacted him with their concerns.

He said: “For many, Google’s Street View cameras are an upsetting invasion of privacy. People tend not to be asked whether they are comfortable with it coming to their town.

“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.

What do you think of the new Google service? How do you plan to use it? Have you already had a sneaky peek at your old houses or checked out your work mates' properties?

Which do you think is Gloucestershire's best Google view and which is the worst? Have your say using the story comment facility below.