What must surely be one of the most feeble attempts ever to counterfeit a £20 note was enough to fool one Manchester shop worker.

The fake consisted of two photocopies - and poor photocopies at that - cut to size and loosely stapled together. It was accepted by a Manchesterbar over the Christmas period and later handed in to the police.

Greater Manchester Police has posted an image of the fake on Twitter to raise awareness.

"Hard to believe that this was accepted as legal currency. Won't name and shame establishment to avoid embarrassment," they say.

While it might seem impossible for anyone to fall for such an obvious fake, Manchester's Pub and Club Network spokesman Phil Burke told theManchester Evening News that it's an easy mistake to make in the circumstances.

"I have seen something similar to this recently in Manchester. I saw it on the floor and went over to pick it up thinking I'd found a £20note and everyone was laughing at me," he said.

"They look real from a distance but not close up. But perhaps if you're working in a nightclub which is very dark with flashing lights,you might not spot that it's fake."

Forged bank notes are rarely perfect: they just have to be good enough to fool a bored or distracted sales assistant. Special pens and UV lightsare available to help staff spot fakes but are rarely used, especially for smaller denominations.

To read the complete article, see:
Worst fake £20 ever? Two photocopies stapledtogether (http://money.aol.co.uk/2015/01/08/worst-fake-20-ever-two-photocopies-stapled-together/)