Queue for new King Charles banknotes

People in Sunderland were among the first to get the new banknotes

People have been getting their hands on the new UK banknotes featuring a portrait of King Charles III.

The new Bank of England design entered circulation on Wednesday at 13 Post Offices across the country.

One of the branches, Sunderland City, saw people queuing up to wait for the doors to open.

Customer Mary Denham, 87, from South Shields, said she would not spend them, but hang on to them to give to her grandson.

Collectors are on the lookout for banknotes which come as close to the 00001 serial number as possible.

Alan, a coin and note collector from Pallion, said: "I've got a huge collection at home and this adds to it nicely."

But he added: "I don't even use cash. I'm all card."

Branch manager Gillian Carr said people had come in specially to get the notes

Sunderland City Post Office Branch Manager Gillian Carr said the occasion felt "quite special".

"We've seen steady flow of people coming in throughout the morning," she said.

"Some people are the regulars, but others have come in especially to get the notes."

One such customer, Christine Roberts from Sunderland, said: "I didn't know until I got here so I thought I might as well draw some out.

"I'll probably keep mine and see how common they become."

Andy Watson, reporting from Sunderland

There was a buzz in the air at the Sunderland City Post Office this morning as staff prepared to circulate the brand new King Charles banknotes.

Bags of them had arrived at the branch on Tuesday, but they weren’t allowed to be touched or opened until today.

Tills were stocked with the new notes half an hour before the store opened, with the cashiers taking their first look at the new currency.

About 20 customers queued up waiting for the doors to open at nine o’clock.

The first ones through the doors had a spring in their step and one thing in mind: to get their hands on the new notes.

The King's portrait is based on a picture taken in 2013

Other Post Office branches where the notes were first available were:

• Piccadilly Plaza in Manchester, M2 1BB

• Portsmouth, PO1 1AB

• Birmingham, B2 4AA

• Moorgate, EC2M 5TE

• Broadway, SW1H 0AX

• Great Massingham, PE31 6HP

• Tetbury, GL8 8DB

• Minchinhampton, GL6 9BN

• Windsor, SL4 1AA

• Houndsditch, E1 7BS

• Woodstock, OX20 1SP

• Poundbury, DT1 3AZ