AN antiquated telephone system that has been gathering dust in a box for half-a century has been rediscovered – and hopes are high it will work again.

In October 1934 electrician Bill Leyland installed what was then a state-of-the-art telephone system in Milner’s store at Hawes.

It consisted of two traditional separate ear and mouthpiece sets, a plug-in exchange and a heavy but rather posh handset used by the owner of the business.

David Milner, who ran the Leyburn store for many years, recalls: “We had it put in our Hawes shop, it was one of the first in the dale.

“The number was Hawes 224 as there wasn’t many telephones then.”

“There were two other phones but they were used for a line from our house to my uncle’s next door.”

By the 1960s the system was too old and the Hawes shop changed hands. Mr Milner removed the system and placed it in box, where it was forgotten.

Now he has vowed to get it working again - prompting interest from both Gayle Mill and the Hawes Countryside Museum.