Final chapter for library in working phone box

Villagers who transformed a working telephone box into a miniature library have been told to remove the books.

The titchy library in North Thoresby, between Louth and Grimsby, offered people a range of books to take home to read.

However, a notice from BT, posted on the phone box on Monday, requested the literature be removed.

The notice praised the "creative" efforts of those behind the scheme, but said that the payphone was still in use.

Posting on social media, one of the organisers, said: "Unfortunately, the village generosity has got the better of us."

"The BT poster has gone on today, so if you recently donated any books you may wish to remove."

BT said the phone box needed to be kept clear for people to make calls and for engineers to carry out tests and repairs.

Colin Goodwin, the chairman of the parish council, said the library had been very popular with "more and more books going in".

The parish council had tried to adopt the phone box as part of a project run by BT, he added.

However, due to poor network coverage in the village, BT had "insisted" that the phone box remained.

"They have now slapped a sticker on it, so we are not allowed to use it any more," Mr Goodwin said.

While it was a shame to see the library go, he appreciated the reasons given on the notice.

"We are now looking for alternatives – hopefully we will find somewhere suitable," he said.

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