Phone box in Gloucestershire turned into library

Carolyn Dolan had the idea for the library after listening to The Archers

A red phone box in a Gloucestershire village has been turned into a lending library by local residents.

The traditional kiosk was bought from BT for £1 because villagers in Box wanted to keep what they believed was an "integral part" of the local area.

Carolyn Dolan, who lives nearby, had the library idea after being inspired by a fictional phone box conversion on BBC Radio 4 drama, The Archers.

The library offers unwanted books for anyone to freely take and read.

Mrs Dolan said BT offered them the option to buy the kiosk after the phone inside had been decommissioned.

She said: "It's very informal. If you fancy a book that is in there just take it and bring it back if you want, or keep it.

"Like all these things the novelty might wear off but at the moment it is being used."

'Being appreciated'

In July, residents of Lower Slaughter in the Cotswolds fitted a decommissioned telephone box with life-saving heart equipment.

BT said it was the 1,500th phone box in the UK to have been adopted by its local community.

Stu Dockree runs a business in Elmore, Gloucester, restoring and converting telephone kiosks.

Box's lending library currently has almost 40 books ranging from novels to a guide to cross-stitching

He said it was "fantastic" that there was so much public interest in securing the future of traditional phone boxes rather than seeing them scrapped.

"I'm very passionate about the kiosks going to good homes and being appreciated and if that involves it being stuck on a village green for passers-by to appreciate then all the better."

Mr Dockree has had some unique projects including converting kiosks into a toilet, a walk-in drinks bar and a request from Amanda Holden for an office complete with computer and solar panels.