The face of the late Beatle John Lennon is to be celebrated on a coin, it’s been announced.

The singer, who was killed in 1980, came top in a poll to decide who should appear on the silver £5 Alderney coin with 92% of the vote.

Lennon’s nearest rival, with just 4.2% of the vote, was author Jane Austen. More than 30,000 votes were cast in total.

Lennon, who would have celebrated his 70th birthday this year, will follow in the footsteps of William Shakespeare and Sir Winston Churchill by receiving a coin.

Dave Knight, Director of Commemorative Coin at the Royal Mint, said: “It’s entirely fitting that John Lennon has been chosen by the public in what would have been his seventieth year.

“The massive proportion of the vote he received shows clearly just how much his untimely death still resonates with the nation."

Knight added that the Royal Mint was "proud to commemorate a genuine British legend".

The coin is available to buy online priced at £44.99.

(by Jason Gregory)