A VOLUNTARY group is looking to adopt a public phone box which is set for removal, as they believe it represents a link to their village’s past.

Following a review of public payphone usage, BT have proposed the removal of a further five phone boxes in Torfaen.

The phone boxes are in Woodfield Road, New Inn; Oaklands Road in Sebastopol; Newport Road in New Inn; Mead Lane in Cwmbran; and Stanley Road in Garndiffaith.

The phone box on Stanley Road has been used 12 times in the last 12 months.

But the Garndiffaith Millennium Hall committee is looking to give the phone box a new lease of life.

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Groups can adopt a phone box for £1 through BT’s ‘Adopt a kiosk’ scheme, however, the group would need funding to transport it on to Millennium Hall grounds.

Gwyneira Clark, of the Garndiffaith Millennium Hall committee, said: “This iconic red telephone box would become a link to the past for future generations.

“Having spoken to BT, the Community Hall committee would be responsible for its removal.

“We have no funding for a project like this, but having spoken to Cllr Giles Davies, he suggested that I contact the Pontypool Community Council with a view to them adopting it and gifting it back to the Millennium Hall Garndiffaith, where it could be housed either in the grounds or inside the building.

“The box is in a poor state of repair, so we would organise fundraising events to reinstate it to its original condition as we did when we were kindly donated the bell from St John’s Church on Stanley Road by the late owner Steve Price. The bell now takes pride of place in the foyer.

“We are only caretakers of this lovely facility and sadly as we lose part of our history in our communities, we can in some small way retain some for the future in a new home.

“All of this said, it’s not possible without financial support which we hope will come from the Pontypool Community Council as a community project.”

The committee have discussed plans to transform the phone box in to an exhibition space for local artists or free library. There is also a defibrillator at the hall, so the phone box could be converted in to a home for that.