ULSTER Bank has revealed new polymer banknotes that will have a design feature unique to currency in Britain and Ireland - they will be 'vertical'.

The new notes, which were revealed today in the bank's Andersonstown branch in west Belfast's Westwood Centre, were developed "with a panel of experts and people from across the country."

The five pound note features pictures of Strangford Lough and Brent Geese while the ten pound version shows Lough Erne, an Irish hare and Guelder-rose shrubs.

The notes also feature culinary delights associated with the north, namely a king scallop and an Ulster Glade potato.

While vertical notes are uncommon in Europe, they have appeared in countries around the world, including Bermuda's $2 note and former Soviet republic Kazakhstan's 5,000 tenge note.

The designs have received a mixed reaction online, with some speculating on the likelihood of being able to spend them in Britain.

Wait til London Cabbies see these!

— Manufacturing NI (@ManufacturingNI) May 24, 2018

...just in case you thought there might be a chance in exchanging these on /The Mainland/ for goods and services... :/

— Chris REPEAL THE 8TH Murphy (@ChrisMurphy201) May 24, 2018

Ulster Bank stressed all banknotes from the north are legal currency in the UK "and will be able to be used for cash transactions across the UK."

. However, Northern Bank were first with their space shuttle vertical £5 bank notes in 1999. pic.twitter.com/p91CSDH8e4

— Gavin Bamford (@jggb1) May 24, 2018

Richard Donnan, Head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland, said: “The notes will also contain advanced security features that will make the notes much harder to counterfeit – giving customers reassurance that their money is safe and secure.”