£50 note saved – and turned into plastic

THE £50 note is set to become the latest to be turned into plastic money.

The polymer note will be printed after the new £20 – featuring 19th Century artist J. M. W. Turner – is issued in 2020, the Bank of England said yesterday.

Ministers had been keen to scrap the £50 note because of fears that it is used only by criminals and currency investors.

Polymer is cleaner, more durable and allows for extra security features, the Bank said. Officials claim the new notes last about two-anda-half times longer than their paper equivalents.