A TEACHER says she will do all she can to make sure an old phone box remains part of the scenery in a village near Evesham — even if it means keeping it in her garden.

Emily Hall-Roberts, who lives in Charlton, said she thinks it would be a "real shame" to lose an old red phone box, after the time has almost come for it to be taken away.

But the clerk to Charlton Parish Council said village residents have had three years to secure the future of the phone box.

Mrs Hall-Roberts, a self-employed teacher, said: "I was at a meeting of the parish council last week and they were discussing the phone box which is on the village green. They said the telephone kiosk will be carted away soon. They said it had been decided to get rid of it and that no one wanted it.

"The red phone box is an iconic national treasure. I just don't think people in the village are aware that it was under threat of being removed, because I asked some people after the meeting if they wanted it to stay and they all said yes.

"I think it would be a real shame to get rid of it. I have offered to buy it to stop it being taken, I'd even keep it in my garden if I had to. I think it's beautiful and adds to the village's image. It looks a bit tatty at the moment but it can't cost much to give it a bit of paint. I'd camp outside it to stop them taking it away."

But Roger Gurney, the clerk to the parish council, said not enough interest had previously been shown in keeping the phone box.

"Three years ago BT offered the phone boxes to the district councils who offered them to the parish councils. We asked local people whether they wanted the phone box to remain in the village. No one was really interested. We had someone a while ago who said they were interested in taking it, but in the end this didn't happen.

"Since then no one has wanted to be responsible for it. We had notices telling people about the situation with the phone box both inside and outside the box.

"Wychavon District Council will know best when the contractors will come and take it away, and anyone who is now interested in taking it over should speak to the district council."

A spokesman for Wychavon District Council said: “We would be willing to consider any sensible request made to us to take on the ownership and responsibility for the upkeep of the phone box. However if an agreement isn’t possible then it is expected the phone box will be removed within the next two months.”