Phone box that's a home from home

Like most of us, Cadwgan Edwards would find life tough without his phone. The difference is, however, that his is in a public call box outside his house.

There is no mobile phone coverage in his part of Ceredigion, and he won't have a home phone installed because he says it may mean closure of the kiosk.

So he uses the call box only yards from his front door to contact friends and run his business.

He leaves his window open to hear it ringing and even keeps the kiosk clean.

According to official figures, 90% of people in the UK have a home phone.

Not, though, Mr Edwards, of Ffair Rhos, near Tregaron, who said he used the call box to prevent BT from closing it.

PHONE BOX FACTS

• There are 4,324 kiosks in Wales
• The future of 806 in Wales are in doubt
• 71% of Welsh payphones are unprofitable
• 9% make less than one call a month
• Some have not made any calls at all in the past year
• Source: BT

They do not include Mr Edwards's kiosk, however, as BT said it was not under threat.

Mr Edwards said he had used the phone box since moving into his house 19 years ago, but there had been a payphone on the same spot since the end of World War II.

But the mechanic and bus driver said he would be "lost and upset" if BT ever decided to close the phone box near both his home and workshop.

He said he relied heavily on the call box to keep in touch.

"Phone boxes are vital in the countryside, especially in areas where there is no mobile phone coverage," said Mr Edwards.

"The phone box is so close it my home that I don't see any need for a home phone.

"I keep the phone box clean and keep an eye out for vandals and thieves."

But how does he hear the phone ringing?

"Well, I keep my front door open during the day, and my workshop is nearby too.

"At night I keep my bedroom window open," he added.

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