Police authorities have warned shoppers against counterfeit £5 notes after they were found in Wadebridge, Cornwall. The warning comes just six months after the new £5 note was launched by the Bank of England. PCSO Pete Sobye of Wadebridge police said, “If you find yourself in possession of a fake £5 note, contact your bank. Or if you have been given a number of these as payment, contact police on 101.”
A similar warning was issued in February by the Dorset police after counterfeit notes were found in circulation near Poole. Both paper, and the new polymer £5 notes have been circulating together, however, British people have only until May 5 to spend the paper ones before they lose their legal tender status. The Bank of England will soon issue a new £10 note featuring author Jane Austen, recognising “her universal appeal and enduring contribution to English literature.”
