BT is offering communities across Huntingdonshire the opportunity to adopt their local phone box for just £1 to turn it into something inspirational for their area.

More than 360 traditional red boxes are available for adoption across the East of England and BT will also consider adoption requests to house defibrillators in more modern boxes.

Community groups are being encouraged to seize the opportunity to do something different with their phone boxes that are no longer used or have fallen into disrepair. Already, more than 800 payphones have been adopted by communities in the region since 2008.

BT will continue to provide electricity (if already in place) to power the light for adopted kiosks, free of charge to communities. Where electricity is available, adopted boxes can be used as housings for defibrillators.

Other new ventures already in place across the region include conversions to mini-libraries, miniature art museums, cake shops and information centres. One payphone in Devon had even been transformed into the world’s smallest nightclub, a spokesman for BT said.

Commenting on the initiative, Katherine Bradley, BT’s senior payphones commercial and operations manager, said: “We’re pleased to be giving even more local communities the chance to adopt a phone box. With more than 800 payphones already adopted across the east, this is a fantastic opportunity for communities to own a piece of history.

“The opportunities are endless and we’ve already seen some amazing transformations. Applying is easy and quick and we’re always happy to speak to communities about adopting our traditional BT red payphone boxes.”

Communities can adopt a kiosk if they are a recognised public body, such as a parish council, community council town council or parish meeting. Boxes can also be adopted by registered charities or by individuals who have a payphone on their own land.

For further details on how to apply to adopt a kiosk, log on to www.bt.com/adopt.