ACROSS Cheshire East and West, there are 43 BT phone boxes available for communities to adopt for £1.

The iconic phone boxes can be taken on by communities through BT’s Adopt a Kiosk programme, and then transformed into everything from defibrillator units and mini history museums, to art galleries and book exchanges.

BT will also consider adoption requests to house defibrillators in modern glass phone boxes, a potentially life-saving conversion.

Currently, there are 27 phone boxes available to adopt in Cheshire West and Chester, and 16 in Cheshire East.

Sarah Walker, BT Enterprise unit director for the north of England, said: "With most people now using mobile phones, it’s led to a huge drop in the number of calls made from payphones.

"At the same time, mobile coverage has improved significantly in recent years due to investment in masts, particularly in rural areas.

"We’re currently rationalising our payphone estate to make it fit for the future, and the ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ scheme makes it possible for local communities in the north west to retain their local phone box, with a refreshed purpose for the community.

"Thousands of communities have already come up with a fantastic array of ideas to re-use their beloved phone box.

"Applying is quick and easy and we’re always happy to speak to communities about adopting our phone boxes."

Communities can adopt a kiosk if they are a recognised public body - such as a parish council, community council or town council.

Boxes can also be adopted by registered charities or by individuals who have a payphone on their own land.

BT will continue to provide electricity (if already in place) to power the light for adopted phone boxes, free of charge.

For further details, visit www.bt.com/adopt.