On call... get books from a phone box!

Todwick Parish councillors decided to turn the old fashioned phone box into a book swap after buying it for £1.

A local resident who lives near to the phone box on Goosecarr Lane asked the parish council to look into buying it - and they were only too happy to turn it into a community facility.

“It’s a part of our heritage and he (the resident) asked if we would consider buying it, which we did,” said parish councillor Eileen Northall.

“I’d seen other parish council’s do the book swap and they have been really successful.”

“It took a while to find the correct red paint. It was a shade of pink when we bought it.”

“All the books in it have been donated. I’ve got hundreds at home, but didn’t want to put them in all at once. I’ll be changing the books on a regular basis so there is a variety for people.”

Each book has an area in the front where residents can write comments, helping others to decide whether they would like to read it or not. Coun Northall asked that if any resident wishes to keep a book they have borrowed, or pass it to someone else, then they replace it with another so stocks are kept up.

The phone box will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It all includes a noticeboard which features local information.

Anyone wishing to donate a book should contact Coun Northall on 01909 770050.