Residents across South Essex need to be on high alert for fake bank notes.

There have recently been some fake £20 notes confiscated by police elsewhere in the country, prompting police to issue a wider warning to the public amid fears that more such notes may be in circulation across the district.

Is your £20 note genuine?

The Bank of England says there are eight different signs to look out for to spot fake £20 notes in circulation:

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1. Check the watermark

When held up to the light, you should be able to see a portrait of the Queen along with a '£20' that's brighter than the surrounding paper.

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2. Check the holographic strip

The strip on the note should have foil patches that contain alternating holographic images. When you tilt the note, one hologram shows a multi-coloured image of Adam Smith while the other alternates between a multicoloured £ sign and the number 20. The number 20 is also embossed on the strip and should appear just to the right of the Chief Cashier's signature.

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3. Check the paper and raised print

The note is printed on special paper - check if the note feels right. You should be able to feel raised print on the words Bank of England and around the number 20 in the bottom right corner.

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4. Check under a UV light

Under an ultra-violet light, the number 20 on the front of the note should appear in bright red and green. Random speckles of red and green should also appear on the front and back of the note.

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5. Check the metallic thread

Embedded in every note, this should usually appear as silver dashes down the back of the note but it will show up as a continuous dark line when held up to the light.

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6. Check the print quality

All lines and colours on a genuine note will be sharp, clear and free from smudges or blurred edging.

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7. Check the microlettering

Using a magnifying glass, look closely at the lettering beneath the Queen's portrait - it will spell out the value of the note in tiny letters and numbers.

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8. Check the see-through pound sign

Held up to the light, you should see a pound sign made up of coloured shapes printed on either side of the note.

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