A DEFUNCT phone box in Welsh Newton has proved a success as a library — one of the first in the county which is being put into good use for the community.

The parish council bought the iconic red box from BT four years ago for £1 and filled it with books, brochures and information.

There are already 18 kiosks in Herefordshire which have been bought under BT’s Adopt A Kiosk scheme and a further 55 are being put up for grabs.

Craig Bligh, Welsh Newton and Llanrothal Group Parish Council chairman, said the kiosk on the village common had fallen into disrepair and was spruced up with paint, new glass and books by parishioners.

He said: "You can put in and take out - it is a revolving process and is accessible to anybody. People are just learning to become familiar with it."

They were inspired by Llangrove who introduced a mini library at its box, as have Bodenham.

Emma Tennant, spokesman for BT, said there are 275 public payphones in Herefordshire and almost 50 percent (127) are red boxes, which is much higher than the 20 percent national average.

Calls from BT payphones have fallen by more than 80 percent in the last five years as the popularity of mobiles has surged.

BT has applied to the local authorities to remove 55 of the lesser used kiosks but they will not remove any which the council wants to keep.

Ms Tennant added that where a local community accepts they no longer use their payphone, but wants to keep the structure in place – as a village green landmark for example – BT actively encourages the local communities to adopt them.

She said: "This scheme was introduced several years ago, in consultation with English Heritage, and is proving extremely popular and successful."

In the UK more than 2,200 kiosks have been adopted with some being turned into defibrillator kiosks or art galleries.

Even the villagers of Ambridge, in BBC Radio 4’s long-running drama The Archers, have adopted their kiosk.