1. A method of detecting a change to a background of a visual scene, the method comprising, for a current image of the visual scene: extracting a feature value from at least one sub-region of the current image; updating a detection distribution using the extracted feature value; determining whether a match exists between the updated detection distribution and a background distribution; comparing with a predetermined threshold, if a match is not determined, the number of images since the previously determined match; and detecting, based on the comparison, a change to the background of the visual scene, wherein the extracting, updating, determining, comparing, and detecting are performed by a processor.