Red telephone boxes, so familiar in the traditional British townscape, are under threat.

With the invention of mobile phones, they are increasingly redundant and cost BT millions each year to repair and maintain as they are often the target of vandalism.

For £1, community groups can ‘adopt’ a telephone box and use them to enrich the area, such as for a flower display, a mini-library, or even a defibrillation unit.

The current available boxes are:

• The Green Recreation Ground, First Cross Road, Twickenham

• Hammersmith Bridge Kiosk, Castelnau

• The Vineyard, Richmond

• First Cross Road, Staines Road, Twickenham

• Church Road, London

• The Green, Twickenham

Councillor Peter Buckwell, cabinet member of highways and street scene, said: “Red phone boxes are an iconic symbol of Britain. And whilst over the last few years hundreds have been removed across the country, we still have nine several left in our borough.

“We want to protect them. We have already supported the Richmond BID in restoring the exterior of two on Richmond Green.

“We need to think about how the exterior of the phone boxes can be restored, whilst the internal use of each tiny space used creatively as possible.

“There have been many examples of groups turning them into coffee stations, libraries, art galleries, defibrillator storage units and mini garden centres. Whilst the space might be tiny, they have been used very creatively.”

One K6 phone box on Church Road, near Barnes Green has already been adopted and is being transformed into a community defibrillator.

Currently there are many of the iconic K6 red telephone boxes designed by Giles Gilbert Scott around the borough.

Phone boxes already under consideration are:

• Near Richmond Bridge, Richmond Road, Twickenham

• Opposite St Matthias Church, Kings Road, Richmond

• The Green / Golden Court Richmond