Banknotes are getting a nature makeover – and the Bank of England has revealed the four creatures that will feature on our money.

The Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee and European hedgehog will appear on the redesigned notes in years to come – although no decision has been made about which animal will be shown on which banknote.

The owl, bumblebee and hedgehog topped a public vote in their specific categories, and the puffin was included to celebrate marine life, the coastline and bring variety to the notes, the Bank said.

Wildlife is replacing notable figures from history, such as Sir Winston Churchill, on our cash in a decision that angered a number of leading politicians.

“We have chosen four distinct and inspiring animals that not only showcase the great variety of wildlife we have in the UK but will also enhance the security of our banknotes,” said Victoria Cleland, the Bank’s chief cashier.

A panel of wildlife experts drew up a shortlist of 18 mammals, birds, amphibians insects and fish which were put forward to public nominations. Respondents were invited to select up to six.

More than 2.5 million votes were cast by 478,531 people, ranging from wildlife enthusiasts to primary school classes.

The buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) was a clear winner, receiving 360,399 votes, nearly 90,000 more than the barn owl (Tyto alba).

The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) was most popular in the mammals category.

The red fox, in the mammals category, and the common kingfisher, among the birds, received more nominations than the Atlantic puffin. The puffin (Fratercula arctica) was still selected because it was the most popular marine animal.

The Bank said its inclusion added variety to the series, made the denominations easier to distinguish, and gave an opportunity to celebrate the British coastline.

The puffin and bees also feature on coins, as part of the Royal Mint’s redesigned 20p and £1 coins respectively.

Each of the quartet of creatures will feature as the central image of a £5, £10, £20 or £50 note, which will also feature other elements from nature as part of their designs, potentially including other shortlisted animals. The monarch will still feature on the other side of the notes.

Rhys Phillips, the Bank’s incoming chief cashier who will be responsible for the roll-out of the new series of notes, said the process of designing, testing and printing banknotes could take years.

He said the Bank needed to make sure they were high-quality, resilient and accessible. As the designs were only in the very early stages, they would be unveiled closer to their launch.

“We’ll now work to design, test and produce the banknotes, combining the imagery we’ve announced today with cutting-edge security features and materials science,” he said.

Wildlife already appears on banknotes in the UK, with mackerel, otters, red squirrels and osprey featuring on notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland, external.

Yet it will be the first time since 1970 that the reverse side of Bank of England notes will no longer feature notable figures from history.

On notes circulating currently, in ascending order of value, are former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, author Jane Austen, artist JMW Turner and mathematician and wartime codebreaker Alan Turing.

The proposed removal of wartime leader Churchill angered Reform leader Nigel Farage, and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch describing the move as “a silly thing to do”.

The Bank said the move was primarily to stop counterfeiting so all images needed to be replaced on banknotes over time.