People race to exchange paper banknotes before deadline

Queues form at Bank of England to swap old 20s and 50s before they stop being legal tender

Consumers are racing to exchange their old paper banknotes for new plastic versions, just over a fortnight before they cease to be legal tender at the end of September.

The Bank of England has warned people to expect long queues at its headquarters at Threadneedle Street in the City of London as they try to swap paper 20 and 50 notes.