PLANS to remove 31 telephone boxes from rural Teesdale have met with an angry response by local residents.

BT says the increase in mobile phone use means the phone boxes are no longer viable.

The majority of the phone boxes are in isolated locations, which people living in those areas argue do not have strong mobile phone reception.

Two of the phone boxes scheduled for removal, at Windmill and Morley, are in the ward of Teesdale district councillor John Armstrong.

He said: "I fought to get those boxes in 1958 and I am going to do everything I can to stop this happening. My phone is going to be very hot.

"This is frightening for Teesdale. It is a big, big worry. The people who are most vulnerable, those who can't afford mobile phones and the elderly, are going to suffer the most. What are they supposed to do if they break down?"

BT is carrying out a 42-day consultation and has written to Teesdale District Council's planning department, parish councils and Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster.

The company says it will keep kiosks open if, at the end of the consultation period, there are good reasons for doing so.

A BT spokesman said: "This is not a foregone conclusion and local residents are being given the chance to express their views. A lot of these kiosks have seen their takings reduce because of mobile use.

"At the end of the day we have got a business case to consider. These kiosks are costing us more money than they are taking in."

Mr Foster said local people should make BT aware of their concerns.

He said: "Local residents know what they want best. Obviously there are concerns about areas that don't have mobile coverage.

"I will support any arguments put forward by local residents."

All of the kiosks which face removal have had notice of closure posters put inside them.

Pay phone boxes that have been identified for removal include kiosks in Barnard Castle, Cockfield, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Baldersdale, Lartington, Forest-in-Teesdale and Newbiggin.