Members of the public are being warned over a batch of fake £50 notes which is currently in circulation.

Police said the counterfeit notes, mainly being used in Dumfries and Galloway, The Borders, Stirling and Tayside, are both green in colour like the old style £50 and purple like the newer version.

Officers warn any £50 which is green in colour should be declined as shops should currently only be accepting the newer purple version.

The genuine purple style notes will feature a watermark, a hologram that changes, a series of dashes which become a solid line when held up to the light and has the name of the bank in raised print.

Each note should also have its own individual serial number.

Detective Inspector Iain McPhail said: "Suspects are using both an old style £50 note which is green in colour and the newer note which is purple.

"Shops should only be accepting the newer purple note.

"If anyone is presented with a green old style £50 note they should be declined and the customer informed to take them to their local bank.

"Please ensure all notes are robustly examined to establish their authenticity."

If anyone suspects they're being presented with a fake note they should decline it and consider contacting Police Scotland via 101.