Calderdale phone box transformed into book exchange

A team of residents, traders and Elland Round Table have pulled together to turn the disused and dilapidated box on Southgate in Elland, outside the former town hall, into a book exchange.

Free to use and open all day, every day, the mini-library is already proving a huge hit, especially with children.

David Needham and his partner came up with idea after seeing similar projects elsewhere involving phone boxes that were being sold off by BT.

Elland Round Table offered to buy the box and pay for the paint to give it a new lease of life, and a committee was formed to organise the work needed.

David said Elland traders including Morrisons have been keen to get involved and he has been staggered by their generous offers to carry out work for free.

Artist Abigail Barker even gave up three weeks of her time to create an impressive mosaic of the Roald Dahl character Matilda inside the phone box.

"People have been really positive about it all the way through,” said David.

"The project has just been about kindness.”

The book exchange was officially opened by Mayor of Calderdale Angie Gallagher with a celebration including a reading by a local author, refreshments, colouring for children and prizes for people coming dressed as their favourite book characters.

The book exchange is open to anyone wanting to take, borrow or swap a book