A binman who found shredded £10 and £20 notes has been told he can exchange them for new ones if he can piece the bits together.

Graham Hill discovered an estimated £10,000 in two bin bags dumped in City Square in Lincoln.

Lincolnshire Police held the money for six months while an investigation was carried out, reports the BBC.

But no-one has come forward to claim it and the force have returned it to Mr Hill as there was no evidence of criminal activity.

Det Con Nick Cobb said: "This was a very unusual case and, despite our inquiries the circumstances of why and how the money came to be torn up and put in the bin, remains a mystery."

The binman will get a new note for each one he pieces back together, but this could prove difficult.

Det Con Cobb added: "It would appear that they might have been cut-up with scissors.

"Obviously whoever cut it up took a long time, a very, very determined effort to cut the money up.

"The biggest piece of money was about an inch square... It is a massive jigsaw puzzle."

A Bank of England spokeswoman said: "Providing the bank notes meet the evidence requirements, then an application for reimbursement should be successful."

-Nova