Iconic red phone boxes in Hadleigh and neighbouring villages are available to be adopted with BT asking local communities to take advantage of a scheme to help transform them for the 21st century.

The phone box in Church Street Hadleigh, one in Bildeston and two in Boxford are among those on offer to transformed.

Redundant phone boxes were once a lifeline of communication before the arrival of mobile phone networks, have been transformed into everything from defibrillator units and mini history museums to art galleries and book exchanges.

Since 2008, a total of 907 red phone boxes across the region have been taken on by communities for just £1 each through BT's Adopt a Kiosk programme. BT will also consider adoption requests to house defibrillators in modern glass phone boxes, a potentially life-saving conversion.

Jon Pollock, BT Enterprise unit director for the East of England, said: "With most people now using mobile phones, it's led to a huge drop in the number of calls made from payphones. At the same time, mobile coverage has improved significantly in recent years due to investment in masts, particularly in rural areas.

"We're currently rationalising our payphone estate to make it fit for the future, and the 'Adopt a Kiosk' scheme makes it possible for local communities in the East of England to retain their local phone box, with a refreshed purpose for the community.

"Thousands of communities have already come up with a fantastic array of ideas to re-use their beloved local phone box. Applying is quick and easy and we're always happy to speak to communities about adopting our phone boxes."

From Aberdeen to Plymouth, the Community Heartbeat Trust charity is working with BT and local communities to install lifesaving defibrillators in local kiosks.

Martin Fagan, National Secretary for the Community Heartbeat Trust charity, said: "BT's phone box kiosks are iconic British structures, and repurposing for this life saving use has given them a new lease of life. To date, we have converted about 800 ourselves, with another 200 in the pipeline.

"Placing the equipment in the heart of a community is important to save on time. Kiosks are historically at the centre of the community, and thus great locations for defibrillators."

As part of plans to modernise its payphone estate, more than 400 payphones across towns and cities have also been upgraded by BT to digital units, called Street Hubs, offering free ultrafast public WiFi, free UK phone calls, USB device charging, environmental monitoring and more.

Local phone boxes looking to e adopted

Bildeston: opposite the War Memorial, Market Place

Boxford: outside Compasses pub, Stone Street

The Adopt a Kiosk scheme enables your community to retain its iconic red kiosk. It is open to the following bodies:

Registered charity