Defibrillator phone box covered by advertising

An old phone box in the process of being refurbished by a charity before being fitted with a defibrillator has been covered with posters advertising a pastry bake and coffee deal.

Heart 2 Heart Norfolk volunteers had spent hours clearing glue and posters from the former BT telephone box on Gorleston High Street, Norfolk, where they planned to install the charity's 400th defibrillator.

But Jayne Biggs, the charity's founder, said the advertisement for Greggs was put up soon after the box had been cleaned.

A spokesperson for Greggs, said: "We would never intentionally place advertising on emergency equipment and have been in touch with our media partner to ensure this doesn't happen again."

Founded by Ms Biggs, Heart 2 Heart Norfolk aims to install easily accessible defibrillators across Norfolk, and disused phone boxes are "ideal" places for them.

After buying the box in Gorleston, she said volunteers had worked until 22:00 BST one evening, spending about eight hours cleaning six layers of glue from the glass panels.

"When I adopt them they belong to me, and there was a sign in there saying 'This no longer belongs to BT, this belongs to Heart 2 Heart Norfolk', but obviously they took no notice of that.," Ms Biggs said.

"It was like someone must have been watching him... and then obviously put another poster over all the glass he had cleaned."

There is a sign on the phone box saying it is owned by the charity and another sign inside, outlining that it is no longer in service or owned by BT.

"We just couldn't actually believe it. It was the speed of it," Ms Biggs said.

The posters covering two walls of the box were put up by a third party and not by Greggs.

Since the incident was raised by Breakfast on BBC Radio Norfolk, Greggs has been in contact with Ms Biggs and has offered £250 compensation.

"Greggs themselves are absolutely horrified because it is a third party who actually goes and puts them up," she said.

"They can't believe that they did it. They were so sorry."

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.