A man who spotted a delivery robot in his local woods said he was shocked to discover the photo he took had attracted more than 240,000 likes.

Matthew McCormack was cycling in Lings Wood in Northampton on Sunday when he saw the machine "ambling on, minding it's own business".

"I took a picture when I caught up with it, popped it on Twitter and thought it might get a few laughs," he said.

"My wife woke me up on Monday and said 'it's got 100,000 likes'."

It has since gained more than 240,000 likes, 20,000 retweets and more than 2,000 replies.

People on Twitter shared their theories for how the robot came to be in the woods.

"It has gained sentience and is using it to go on a mental health walk," one user said.

Mr McCormack, a history lecturer at the University of Northampton, said he "really wasn't expecting" such a huge reaction.

"People really seem to be connecting with it," he said.

He said he usually sees the robots, which deliver groceries, "trundling along" pavements in Northampton but it "seemed funny it was out in the woods".

He tweeted that he saw the robot "lost in the woods", but Starship Technologies, the company behind the vehicles, said: "Not all robots who wander are lost, some are on a delivery to its next customer!"

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