A TINY West Devon village has taken on communications giant BT, becoming the first community in the country to recommission its old fashioned red phonebox.

Northlew residents were some of the 1.8 million people in the UK unable to get broadband until the facility was brought to the village by Northlew Community Broadband.

The community company has now turned its attention on the village's abandoned red K6 telephone box, dating back to 1936, and installed a new phone service in the box.

Christopher Marson, director of Northlew Community  Broadband, said: 'We are actually the first community in the UK to do this and also we are the cheapest call box in the UK, offering calls, anywhere in the world, for one pence a minute.

'It's all about bringing back the services that we've had taken away.

'It's also cheaper than some people's home phones.

'It costs £15 a month, which is more than affordable for parish councils.'

Mr Marson said villages should not miss out just because of their rural location.

He said: 'It's all about making a stand.

'Red telephones boxes are rare and the kids growing up today won't know what they looked like in 20 year's time, so bringing them back to how they were meant to be is great.

'We are happy to help other villages to do the same things — once they have gone, they have gone.'

Last year Northlew lost its post office, telephone box and shop and residents were also unable to get broadband as the village is too far from the exchange.

Mr Marson started Northlew Community Broadband in 2008 in an attempt to bring the information superhighway to the village.

The service finally went live on Christmas Eve last year and was increased last month to make it as fast as in some cities.

Mr Marson added: 'We have had quite a few calls from other communities in Devon and the rest of the UK who not only want help with broadband like ours, but also their telephone boxes.

'Obviously the road has been long and has had many ups and downs but when councils, companies and the powers that be have said 'no you can't do that' — we have gone ahead and done it ourselves.

'We have shown that just because you live in a rural community, doesn't mean you have to accept a lower standard of living.'

Anyone who wants help in their village can email [email protected]">[email protected]

For more information about the Northlew Community Broadband Project visit http://www.northlew.net">www.northlew.net or http://www.westcoastbroadband.net">www.westcoastbroadband.net