Hidden gem phone box re-discovered in village (From Essex County Standard)

Hidden gem phone box re-discovered in village

1:15pm Monday 3rd September 2012 in News By Will Lodge

A “HIDDEN gem” has been discovered after a mystery resident spruced up a phone box.

The classic red box in Dedham Road, Langham, had gone unnoticed for many years and had almost become an eyesore.

Several other K6 phone boxes installed to mark the silver jubilee of King George V in 1935 have been given grade-II listed status elsewhere in Essex.

Parish councillors had initially ruled out adopting or even buying the phone box for a £1, but while investigating further discovered Robert Gamble, who lives across the road from the phone box, had taken it upon himself to clear rubbish and plant flowers around it, making it an attractive sight.

Councillor Tony Ellis said: “It is great Robert has planted the flowers and cleared it out when fireworks were put in it.

“Knowing it is a K6 box installed for the silver jubilee it becomes another memorial in our village, and we as a council plan to write to Robert to thank him for his work.

“They have restored a hidden gem. These phone boxes have massive historical significance.

“I wonder if they will become ancient monuments, a bit like wartime pillar boxes. We may think they are a blight on the landscape but in 600 years time they might be like a medieval castle.

“We will now reconsider our decision not to adopt or buy the phone box.”