Baffled walkers berated by mystery robotic voice

A robotic voice with a Northern Irish accent has left walkers baffled after it was heard shouting out warnings about trespassing along a public footpath.

People passing a small drilling compound close to the path in Walshaw, Bury, Greater Manchester, found themselves within earshot of the bizarre warnings, activated from a security unit.

The voice was heard exclaiming "warning, your presence has been detected, police have been informed" in a distinctive brogue whenever the compound was passed.

A video of the bot being activated was posted on a community Facebook group, where one reader likened it to DCI Ted Hastings, played by Adrian Dunbar in the BBC crime drama Line Of Duty.

Another user joked that the robot should use the TV detective's catchphrase.

"The warning should be 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey, can you just move away'," they said.

'Mistake'

The security unit inside the compound is an Armadillo VideoGuard 360 also known as a "360 video Dalek", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

They use high-definition cameras, motion sensors and a vocal and visual warning system to detect potential security threats.

The area, which was until recently greenbelt land, is making way for a large housing development of 1,250 homes.

A spokesman for the drilling contractor responsible for the compound said the units had been mistakenly set up with motion sensors pointing outside the compound as well as inside the fence.

"The security devices shouldn't be going off unless the perimeter is compromised," he said.

"The settings for the sensors can be changed remotely so hopefully the issue will soon be sorted."