IF you've lost part of a £10 note, we may be able to help you.

We found this section of a tenner in the gutter in Billet Street, Taunton, and would like to reunite it with its rightful owner.

It looks as though it's been cut - defying the Bank of England's claims that the new notes were virtually indestructible when they came into circulation last September.

If you have proof that our find matches a damaged tenner in your possession, get in touch with us. But no time wasters please - our find is worthless without the rest of the note.

Otherwise, bear in mind that The Bank of England will, as a general rule, reimburse you with the face value of an accidentally torn or damaged banknote if you still have at least half of it.

But, if you're the owner of the rest of the note, you'll probably struggle to prove it wasn't torn on purpose as it appears to have been cut cleanly - meaning you'll need the section we found for it to be of any value.

If you did want to apply for a reimbursement, you'd need to fill out a Bank of England damaged banknote application form and send it in with all of the remains of the banknote, along with proof of identity and address.

Successful applications are reimbursed by electronic payment.

If you wish to make a claim, you are advised to send your damaged note with the application form to The Manager, Dept MN, Bank of England, King Street, Leeds, LS1 1HT.

You can e-mail DeptMN@bankofengland.co.uk or call 0113-2410075 (Mondays to Friday 8.30am top 4.30pm) for more information.

The new tenners are expected to withstand extreme conditions, including a cycle through a tumble dryer at more than 90degs C.

They are printed on polymer, a flexible plastic film that is also designed to be waterproof and stain resistant, and contain a number of additional security features that make them difficult to forge.

It is not illegal to destroy money, according to the Currency and Bank Notes Act 1928, but it is illegal to deface a banknote by printing, stamping or writing on it.