BT says many of its public phone boxes are running at a loss

Three phones in Littleport, two in Soham and others in Fordham, Prickwillow and Sutton are among 14 earmarked to go in East Cambs.

Although fewer people use them in the mobile phone era, many claim they are a lifeline in isolated villages.

BT is being urged to reconsider the plan to protect vulnerable groups.

Alan Hampton, of the charity campaign group Cambridgeshire ACRE, said it was another nail in the coffin of rural community services.

BT plans to remove 73 payphones Cambridge 12 Peterborough 12 East Cambridgeshire 14 Fenland 7 Huntingdonshire 18 South Cambridgeshire 10

"There have been losses of post offices and local shops and this is another service that is going away from rural communities in particular," he said.

The company intends to maintain 833 kiosks across all of Cambridgeshire, including 140 loss-making phone boxes, to ensure that the community has access to essential payphones.

District and parish councils have been consulted about BT's plans.

A spokeswoman said notices would be put in all the kiosks before they closed and those considered of real community need would not go.