The design of Britain's first plastic banknote has been unveiled with the promise it will "stand the test of time". The five-pound note, which will be released into circulation in September, features former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney paid tribute to the wartime PM's "bulldog spirit" as he revealed the design at Sir Winston's birthplace at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. "This spirit is just one, only one, of his many contributions that the Bank commemorates with the new fiver," Mr Carney said. The new design is set to enter circulation in the autumn with a first print-run of 440 million notes. They are said to last 2.5 times longer than paper money but beware the polymer notes are apparently prone to sticking together.
