A TORRYBURN OAP has rung the changes for the village phone box by restoring it to its former glory.

Charlie McVicars, 71, had feared the old phone box's number was up after years of neglect, and decided to give it a makeover.

He had planned to adopt it for £1 through BT's 'Adopt a Kiosk' initiative, but wife Marjory then discovered that only councils and registered charities could take ownership of phone boxes.

Charlie, a former apprentice coach painter and Longannet Power Station employee, then contacted Torryburn and Newmills Community Council to see if they would be interested in adopting the kiosk – and they said yes.

Charlie, of Main Street, told the Press, “It looked pretty grim and I thought, 'I could paint that.' I have always wanted to freshen it up, it just looked terrible.

“I decided to do it when the post office was shutting last year. I went in to see the postmaster and asked him what would happen to the phone box and if we could take it on.

“The community council said it would be great if we could do it up, so we wrote to BT for permission, and I got on with it!

“BT gave us the instructions on painting it and I started in June or July.”

The Main Street phone box – now a shell after the phone was taken out two years ago – also holds fond memories for Charlie, who remembers it as the village lifeline.

He recalled, “I've been in Torryburn all my life and I've known that phone box since I was three or four. I can remember it always being there.

“It was all we had in the village before everybody had phones in the house and mobile phones.

“It was the phone to get the doctor, or any emergency, or call someone when there was a death in the family.

“The good thing is that it's never been vandalised in my time and has only had one broken window.

“I remember about 50 years ago now seeing a bunch of young lads having a carry-on inside – I went over to see what was going on and told them, 'Remember, if any of your grannies or mums or dads need an ambulance tonight, this is the only phone we've got.'

“I wanted them to understand how important it was in the village. I never saw them again!”

Charlie's labour of love has received praise from villagers and visitors alike, and there are now plans to use the box for local community notices.

He beamed, “I've got some lovely comments not just from people in the village but also people out for a walk.

“I was chuffed to bits when one young lad ran past and said, 'That's lovely, I've run by here for two years and I've never noticed that phone box.'

“It wasn't a big hard job and I loved doing it.”