ONE of Hampshire's most famous faces could now be appearing on banknotes.

The governor of the Bank of England Sir Mervyn King hinted that Hampshire author Jane Austen has been touted as a candidate to replace Charles Darwin on a £10 note.

King refused to confirm that Austen is a candidate to appear on notes - but did say that “Jane Austen is waiting in the wings”.

The news has delighted Louise West, who is the former curator of the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton near Alton, who was contacted by the Bank of England about the possibility of putting Jane Austen's face on banknotes a year ago.

She said: “It is fantastic. I anything that lauds Jane Austen is a good thing and it is terribly important for there to be public validation of her.”

“I would say it is long overdue and it is great that the bank of England is thinking about this.”

Louise also added that having Jane Austen's face on the banknote will help the museum, which receives no public funding.

The decision will be made by Meryvn King's successor Mark Carney, who takes up the post on July 1.

Jane Austen was born in 1775 in Steventon Rectory. She died in Winchester in 1817, aged just 41.

She wrote literary classics which have sold millions of copies across the world. These include Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma and Mansfield Park.

If Jane Austen is confirmed as the next face of the £10 note, she will join an exclusive club of women which include the Queen, Florence Nightingale and Elizabeth Fry.

A final decision will be made by Meryvn King's successor Mark Carney, who takes up the post on July 1.