THE residents of a Teesdale hamlet have backed their local councillor in trying to save their BT pay phone - one of 178 in the D&S Times area which are under threat of removal as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

Coun Newman Smith told Gainford and Langton Parish Council that he had done a straw poll among Langton residents and all nine households wanted to retain the facility, housed in an older-style red kiosk in the conservation area.

He was told Teesdale District Council was acting as the conduit for comments regarding BT's proposal to axe 31 payphones in the dale and the parish council was to lodge a formal objection before the closing date of September 22.

But it is not just residents who are voicing their concerns. Paul Liversidge, director of accident and emergency at the North East Ambulance Service, said: "Access to communication is vital. Mobile phone reception can be bad in rural areas, with phone boxes the only means of access. If they are taken away it will have an effect on the public, who will have to find an alternative way of calling us."

He feared that decreasing the number of options available in country areas could result in vital time lost following an emergency, stressing that time is of the essence.

However, not everyone shared his fears. Insp Kevin Blakey, of Durham police communications, said the increasing number of emergency calls they received were from mobile phones, regardless of location.

"The total number of calls coming in is also on the rise, because nowadays we tend to get several people reporting the same incident," he added.

"It's true there are some, mainly rural, areas of the county where mobile phone coverage remains patchy.

"However, the future of rural pay phones is clearly a commercial decision for BT, presumably after consultation with the local community."

Meanwhile, Fiona Hall, Liberal Democrat MEP for the North-East, has written to Tim O'Sullivan, the head of UK public and parliamentary affairs at BT.

"I am particularly concerned about the effects of removing pay phones from isolated rural locations where mobile coverage remains poor and unreliable," she said.

"In these areas, the pay phone offers the only means of contact with the outside world for residents without a phone of their own, for holiday-makers staying in cottages and caravans, and for day visitors.

"In winter weather, some of these places are effectively cut off, yet the pay phone means they can call for help should the worst happen," she added. "Taking out these kiosks will effectively remove a lifeline. I hope BT will listen to the concerns raised before they take their final decision."

BT has already stated that some loss-making, little used boxes in North Yorkshire are not facing removal because they provide a community service in isolated areas.

These include 27 in the Harrogate district, which BT says, were never under threat and which they plan to retain as a "social obligation" to the community and visitors.

And in one community at Dishforth, near Ripon, two boxes will be reprieved.

Spokesman Paul Dorrell said it was by no means a foregone conclusion that all 178 boxes would go.

"Consultation is still ongoing and then we will have to take feedback into account," he added.

"Nothing is going to happen overnight, it will be many months before final decisions are made."

Meanwhile, Coun Paul Richardson, who represents Masham and Fountains on North Yorkshire County Council, is also protesting to BT.

He says mobile phone reception in the area around Masham and Grewelthorpe is very poor and that public telephones, although little used, could save someone's life.

Coun Richardson is writing to BT expressing his concern at the threatened pay phone cuts and is particularly concerned about boxes under threat at Ilton-cum-Pott, near Grewelthorpe; Gollinglith Foot, Healey and Swinton with Warthermarkse, both near Masham.

Coun Richardson said members of Masham Parish Council had also expressed its concern about BT's plans.