An ordinary holiday snapshot has become an internet hit thanks to a photobombing seagull.

When Alicia Jessop visited the state of Maine for the first time to sample a lobster roll, she felt the experience “needed to be documented”.

But while she was preparing to photograph her lunch in front of the scenic shoreline and Nubble Lighthouse in York, a seagull struck, tearing it from her grasp.

She said: ”It was the most picturesque place. You’re standing on the seashore overlooking the lighthouse. I don’t really take a lot of food pictures, but I knew this needed to be documented.”

She spent some 20 seconds composing her image for Instagram before the winged marauder made its move.

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“I was really embarrassed. You hear stories of people taking crazy Instagram pictures and hurting themselves and I was like, ‘Oh my God, you are now that person,’” she added.

The thieving seabird cost her an additional $21.50 (£16.96) for a second roll.

“I hadn’t even seen it coming,” Ms Jessop said. “It’s a really smart bird and it all happened so fast.”

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The only photo she had managed to capture was the split-second in which the seagull swooped in.

Within half an hour of posting it on Twitter, Ms Jessop discovered that thousands of people had “liked” it.