Talks over future of phone boxes

Managers at phone company BT are promising to consult residents over plans to close 67 payphones in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Fears have been expressed that people may not be able to find a phone box in an emergency if the closures go ahead.

Phone boxes under threat because they are unprofitable include those in Ulrome, Skipsea and Brigham.

BT says that even if all the closures went ahead there would still be 258 payphones in the East Riding.

The company claims calls from phone boxes have declined because of mobile phones.

But local councillors say mobile phone coverage is not always reliable in rural parts of the East Yorkshire.