A EURO MP is backing villagers in the fight to keep their only public telephone.

The kiosk in Browney Village, near Durham, is one of eight across the district that could be closed under plans by BT to disconnect 664 of the region's 4,121 payphones.

The company says its proposals, which have particularly attracted opposition in rural areas, are needed because the phones are not used much.

However, people in the village are fighting the plan and have enlisted the support of parish and city councillors.

They have also won backing from Liberal-Democrat MEP Fiona Hall, who has written to BT expressing concern about the impact on the region.

She said: "I feel very strongly that every community should have access to a public phone. There are all sorts of circumstances where people do not feel able to use the phone in their own homes.''

She said that many elderly people used payphones because they did not feel at home with mobile phones.

The MEP said: "The importance of a public phone shouldn't just be measured in terms of the number of calls made from it.''

A BT spokeswoman said that although the consultation period finished at the end of September, the company would be talking to councils about objections.

She said: "There isn't a definite timetable on this. We are looking at all the consultations and objections.''