Redundant BT phone boxes in Huddersfield town centre are being offered to community groups – for just £1.

The four vandal-hit phone boxes outside Huddersfield Post Office in Northumberland Street are deemed surplus to requirements by BT.

And now the company is offering them to community organisations or charities who want to take them on.

Architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed the first incarnation of the famous red phone box for a competition in 1924.

In recent years, however, with 98% of the adult population now using a mobile phone, there has been a huge decline in the usage of payphones across the UK.

There are now around 20,000 remaining working payphones across the UK, around 3,000 of which are in traditional red kiosks. The number of phone boxes peaked in the 1990s at around 100,000.

BT is now urging communities to continue to take advantage of its kiosk adoption scheme to help transform its underused red phone boxes into other purposes.

Since BT introduced its Adopt a Kiosk programme in 2008, more than 7,200 phone boxes have been taken on by communities across the UK for just £1 each. The kiosks can be adopted by community or parish councils and registered charities.

Redundant phone boxes have been adopted and turned into a variety of uses over the years. Phone boxes in Upper Denby and Helme became defibrillator cabinets, there was a cash machine installed in one in Meltham, mini libraries were created in Honley and Netherthong while Wooldale had a ‘veg box.’

Another in Upper Hopton near Mirfield is a showcase for Hopton in Bloom and the village community association.

BT has announced that 80 phone boxes in Yorkshire are being sold off and these include the four in Northumberland Street and others in New North Road in Huddersfield and Northgate in Almondbury.

Elsewhere in Kirklees, phone boxes are going in Market Place, Town Hall Way and Northgate in Dewsbury town centre.

Michael Smy, head of street at BT, said: “With the vast majority of people now using mobile phones, and significant improvements to mobile coverage across the UK, we’ve continued to see a big drop in the number of calls made from payphones.

“That’s why we’re continuing to review our payphones estate, making sure we’re prioritising the removal of those not being used, in line with Ofcom’s latest guidance.

“With the iconic red kiosk about to turn 100, it’s a great opportunity to remind communities that would still like to retain their local kiosk to take it on for just £1 through our Adopt a Kiosk scheme. We’ve already seen some great kiosk conversions across the UK that have become valuable community assets.”

Under BT’s Adopt a Kiosk scheme communities can adopt a kiosk if they are a recognised public body, such as a parish council, community council or town council.

Boxes can also be adopted by registered charities or by individuals who have a payphone on their own land.

BT will continue to provide electricity – if already in place – to power the light for adopted phone boxes, free of charge.

For further information on how to apply to Adopt a Kiosk, go to www.bt.com/adopt where application forms and information can be found.