A raid on a public phone box has prompted calls for the facility to be permanently disconnected.
Jon Avery believes the box at the junction of King George's Road and Larchwood Gardens in Pilgrims Hatch has reached the end of the line because of repeated attacks by vandals and thieves.
Last week's midnight attack left a trail of broken glass and destruction as raiders tore away the equipment containing cash and made their getaway by car.
Neighbour Mr Avery said: "This telephone box is a public menace. It seems to be getting vandalised every six to eight weeks. This time all the glass is broken and they have ripped the guts out of it.
"BT may think they are offering a public service but this phone box has become a public nuisance and should be taken away."
Another neighbour, David Green, organised a petition because of trouble by vandals in the area.
He said: "Pensioners round here were frightened out of their wits. We weren't out to get rid of the phone box. Our petition was to get a greater police presence and we did get a beat officer which has helped."
A spokesman for BT Pay Phones confirmed there had been a recent history of attacks on the phone box.
He said: "Generally, we don't remove phone boxes because of vandalism.
"However we will consider it if local opinion is canvassed through an elected member of the local community, such as a councillor."
Published Tuesday, July 1, 2003
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