This is what the new £5 note will look like

The Bank of England has unveiled its new £5 note — the first ever to be made of polymer.

The new note will feature an image of war-time prime minister Winston Churchill alongside one of his most famous quotes: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”

On the other side is an image of Queen Elizabeth II and Westminster Tower.

Flickr/Bank of England

The use of polymer — a form of plastic — will mark the end of 320 years of the use of cotton paper in Britain’s bank notes.

Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney said: “Our banknotes are repositories of the United Kingdom’s collective memory and like Churchill, our new polymer notes will stand the test of time.”

According to the Bank of England, the new bank notes will be both more durable and harder to counterfeit, but will be prone to sticking together at first.

“Polymer marks a major innovation – it’s cleaner, safer and stronger,” said Carney.

Circulation of the new notes will begin on September 13.

Flickr/Bank of England