Rosedale residents fight to keep telephone in phone box

The Rosedale phone box is one of the least used in Britain

Residents of a North Yorkshire village have rallied round to keep the telephone in its BT box after the company said it would remove it.

Rosedale villagers claim mobile phone reception is non-existent and that the telephone was a lifeline for residents and tourists.

But BT want to remove the telephone which was only used 20 times last year and costs £800 to run annually.

Villagers were told they could keep the historic red box without its equipment.

BT spokesman Mark Johnson said: "We are constantly reviewing the kiosk estate.

"Little used kiosks will become part of the future removal programme."

A disused phone box in Settle, North Yorkshire, was turned into an art gallery but Rosedale residents are not convinced.

Angela Gage of Rosedale Parish Council, said: "Who would want an empty phone box? What would you do with it?

"We want the mechanism so we can make a phone call, not an empty box."