Bank warning over defective £20s

The faulty notes were delivered to banks earlier this week

Bank customers have been warned to look out for faulty £20 notes which have been sent to a number of cash machines.

The Bank of England is investigating after up to 450 notes with printing defects were delivered to banks.

The notes have two main faults - an absence of raised printing on the front and very poor quality raised printing.

A bank spokesman said the faults would be obvious to people who found them and that any defective notes can be exchanged at the bank that issued them.

The notes could have been sent to cash machines across the country.

The spokesman said they would be obvious to people who found them.

He added a full investigation by the Bank and its printer De La Rue was under way.

He said: "An initial investigation of the incident by the Bank's printer, De La Rue, indicates that sheets of partly printed notes containing the defects, which were intended to be destroyed, were accidentally included with good quality notes and packed for distribution."

There are currently around two billion Bank of England banknotes in circulation.