The company said the removals were a result of the huge upsurge in mobile phone use in recent years.

The increase in mobile uptake across the country had led to a 50% slump in calls across the network from public phone boxes in the last three years, BT said.

BT is carrying out local consultation on plans to take out four public phones in Shrewsbury.

Another six are being removed in other parts of the borough.

Five kiosks are under threat in the Oswestry area, 10 in Telford, five in Bridgnorth, eight in north Shropshire and six in the south of the county.

In each case BT insists there are alternative kiosks nearby.

Across Britain 30,000 payphones are being removed by BT but 100,000 will remain.