The Norfolk constabulary has alerted north Norfolk residents and business owners to the fact that fake bank notes are being used to pay for goods.

Three counts of fake bank notes being used for transactions have been recorded in Sheringham and Cromer in early February.

On February 2 at around 2.20pm a woman went into a shop and paid for £32 of goods with two fake £20 notes and left with the goods and change.

Later that day at around 3.45pm, a man went into a shop paid for goods with a fake £20 note leaving the store with the goods and change.

At around 12.40pm the next day in Cromer, a man went into a shop and attempted to pay for goods with a fake £20 note. The note was declined by staff who used a note checker and realised it was fake.

A spokesman for the Norfolk constabulary said: 'Fake notes can be really hard to spot; we would advise anyone receiving cash to check the feel of the paper, the raised print, metallic thread and watermark.

'If available we would advise retailers to use UV detector lights and detector pens.

'Further advice can be found on the Bank of England website.'

Gary Dickenson, the chairman of Cromer's Chamber of Trade said: 'Despite the lengths perpetrators go to to try and use the counterfeit money our members have become extra vigilant over the past weeks and any sighting is shared through our private Facebook group to spread the word to other members in the town and then also onto police.'

If anyone receives a note that they suspect to be counterfeit they should retain it and contact the police on 101 (always dial 999 in an emergency).