Villagers are fighting to save their much-loved red telephone box, after discovering that BT is planning to scrap it.

The cast iron phone box outside the Star Inn, St Mary in the Marsh, dates from before the Second World War and is one of just three of its kind in the district.

Brian McManus, landlord of the Star, is leading the protests, and has set up a petition at the bar asking BT to reverse its decision.

Mr McManus said he had only found out about BT’s plans by chance: “The phone box is in quite a poor state and it needs painting, so I emailed BT customer services to ask whether it could be cleaned and tidied up and painted.

“They emailed back and said there was no point painting it because they were planning to remove it in 90 days.”

BT spokesman Emma Littlejohn said the company was consulting Shepway District Council over the future of the phone box.

“Ultimately if there is a clear social need for the payphone then it will remain,” she said.

“We appreciate people’s concerns, but these removals are not new and part of an ongoing programme.

“Everything we are doing is totally transparent and we have written to the local authority to allow them to consult within the community.”

Full story in the Kentish Express