A foreign currency provider is offering “virus-free cash” to holidaymakers concerned about handling banknotes.

The service has been launched by Spendology in response to concerns about contaminated money.

Customers are given sterile banknotes bundled into small denominations to make it easier to pay exact sums.

Britons strongly prefer to use cash on holiday

They are also supplied with so-called quarantine envelopes to store change when it is unavoidable.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to calls for more businesses to accept payments by bank and credit cards, but many smaller firms prefer cash.

Spendology marketing and business development director Karen Gee said: “Cash generally and foreign currency in particular is considered to be especially dirty.

“Britons strongly prefer to use cash on holiday rather than cards.

“I thought virus-free cash, designed for our new ‘coronaphobic’ world, would offer reassurance and peace of mind to enable British holidaymakers to travel and use foreign currency again.

“We’ve all been living a strange new lockdown life and become very aware of germs and cleanliness. Our germ-free notes enable holidaymakers to get on and enjoy their holidays with one less thing to worry about.”