Box clever - things to do with an old red telephone kiosk...like the one in Lower Heswall

Above: click or tap through this gallery of bright ideas for old telephone boxes

This year marks the centenary of the British telephone box. In 1921 the first white K1 call boxes appeared, fashioned from concrete, and evolved into the cast iron red phone boxes that became so familiar on our streets for so long.

Speaking of which, almost three years ago, readers of Heswall Nub News - which was then called Heswall Today - generously donated more than £400 to help the Heswall Society adopt, refurbish and preserve the classic K6 kiosk in the Lower Village.

The iconic British red phone box was the result of a competition held in 1924 to design a telephone box suitable for London Metropolitan Boroughs.

Architect Giles Gilbert Scott took the honours and the box, known as the K2, started to be installed in London two years later. It was the Post Office's idea to paint them red. Because of the expense of manufacturing them, not many K2's got beyond the capital.

Hence the Lower Heswall box is a K6. Introduced in 1935 to commemorate the silver jubilee of King George V, it was a smaller version of the K2 and was installed across the country. It is the most recognised box, if not as coveted as its predecessor.

Giles Gilbert Scott was no stranger to much larger projects - Liverpool's Anglican cathedral is based on his design.

When the Lower Village box was saved, several readers recalled how communities with redundant kiosks in other towns and villages had found new and surprising uses for them.

This has inspired Heswall Nub News to track down some inspirational examples, which you can see by clicking or tapping your way through the gallery at the top of this page.

The residents of Kington Magna, a village near Gillingham in Dorset, had to put up with a 10 mile round trip to the nearest library. Harnessing collective zeal, they bought their redundant phone box from BT for a quid and converted it into what was probably Britain's smallest lender of books.

Fighting to save their village pub, The Plough, a campaign group in Shepreth, Royston, Hertfordshire, opened up The Dog and Bone in a phone box to convince South Cambs District Council that the boozer should not be redeveloped into a five bedroom house.

A wonderful artwork called 'Aquarium' by Benedetto Bufalino may be a bit beyond us. Tropical fish were given a home in an illuminated K6 box particularly effective at night. Such a transformation could be considered if a village person is prepared to feed the fish. Any volunteers? Let us know.

Over in the north east in Hexham a phone box became an art gallery. This is a neat and inexpensive idea, and could give Heswall and district artists the chance to display their work. It's true the number of visitors to such a gallery would be limited - to, er, one at a time - but any publicity is good publicity.

Another community converted one into a postcard shop complete with an honesty box. The aim was to have visitors send warm messages to friends and family in the hope that they too might be tempted to turn up and boost the local tourism trade. Handily, in Lower Heswall, the pillar box is right next to the phone box.

One entrepreneur thought out of the box and got into one - where he opened a mobile phone repair shop. There's enough space to do this sort of work, while the box itself is a highly visible marketing tool.

The artist Banksy is a genius whose heart is very much in the right place, but Heswall Lower Village may not be quite ready for his thought provoking kiosk severely wounded by a blow from a pick axe.

Many old red boxes have been converted into homes for defibrillators. Three years ago this seemed to be the most popular choice of new purpose. Perhaps now is the time to revive the idea and work with The Community Heartbeat Trust, a charity which helps provide defibrillators and training to go with them.

We saved the K6 box. Perhaps we can put something in place that might save a life.

And perhaps, if the Lower Village receives one, we should also raise the money to pay for one in Heswall centre.

Please let us know your thoughts.