An iconic red kiosk in the Norfolk village of Sharrington was slated for the axe by BT after it emerged that it was only making nine calls a year - below the required average of 52 to keep it connected. The plans prompted an outcry from villagers who viewed the box as a crucial part of the local fabric, however, as well as a vital way to keep its elderly population in contact with friends and family.

As part of the "David and Goliath" battle with BT, dozens of residents turned out on a cold March morning to tip the call rate over its required average - making 146 calls between them in a bid to prove the necessity of the service. Their effort paid off, with the network provider acknowleding that the demonstration marked a "significant number of payphone calls", and, coupled with local bad signal, demonstrated its "importance to the community". Derek Harris, 88, who spearheaded the campaign to save the classic K6 model described it as a "tremendous victory for common sense".

Mr Harris said he had been bowled over by the support the campaign had received, both locally and further afield, and recounted the long queue of villagers that had been a tangible reminder of the importance of his cause.

"We had such enormous support from people all over the world, from North Norfolk all the way to Germany and even South Africa," the 88-year-old, who has lived in Sharrington for 50 years, said.

Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk Steff Aquarone had been crucial in organising the phone call event, he added.

"Villagers came out in full force to call loved ones and for hours the queue at our much-loved K6 was bustling with people who wanted to make sure our piece of history was preserved.

"I am so proud of our community for coming together to save our emergency lifeline and for standing up to preserve something so important to us. It means everything to me to know that the phone box will still be here long after I'm gone."

BT also attempted to remove the phone box from the rural village in 2016, but backed down after being met with similarly passionate resistance.

Mr Aquarone said the successful campaign showed that "communities can achieve incredible things when we stand together to protect what matters to us".

"When BT said they were planning to remove [the phone box], the whole of Sharrington stood up and said, 'absolutely not'," he added. "It is so heartening to know that the phone box sign will continue to light up this small, rural corner of North Norfolk for many evenings to come, with many more conversations still to be had down its crackling phone line."

A spokesperson for BT said: “We have decided not to proceed with the removal of the payphone. This decision was made due to the poor mobile signal in the area and the significant number of calls made from the payphone, highlighting its importance to the community.”