'Leaning phone box of Ludlow' provides short-lived artistic attraction after truck knocks box askew
A phone box was left at a striking 45-degree angle after an unfortunate brush with a delivery truck.
The phone box on the corner of Upper Galdeford, Lower Galdeford and Tower Street in Ludlow was given the jaunty makeover on Thursday.
Ludlow Councillor Andy Boddington chronicled the events on his blog, musing that the unusual sight could have become an artistic attraction in its own right.
But the needs of public safety prevailed, with BT soon dispatching workers to deal with the tipsy telephonic terminal.
The box has since been put back in place at its more familiar angle, but it has not yet been reconnected.
Councillor Boddington said that the sight of the box somehow remaining suspended in place had caught the attention of the public – and he even suggested it could become an artistic feature akin to a series of tumbling telephone boxes in Kingston-upon-Thames.
Writing on his blog Councillor Boddington said: "By late morning, the leaning phone box had become an object of wonder. A work of art perhaps. People stood, stared and talked about the new attraction in Ludlow. The 'leaning tower of Ludlow', at least one wag called it.
"There is a part of me that wanted to leave the phone booth as it is. Leaning and artistic. An attraction in its own right. A micro version of the famous tumbling telephone boxes of Kingston-upon-Thames.
"That’s fantasy. It needed to be made safe. Shropshire Council’s highways team and myself contacted BT about the same time yesterday morning to ask for the booth to be made safe. Within a few hours, BT had dispatched an engineer and called in the power people to make it safe.
"The phone booth lay prostrate behind barriers. A short-lived work of performance art.
"This morning, in a remarkably quick action, BT put the phone booth back upright."
Speaking to the Shropshire Star Councillor Boddington praised the speed of BT in dealing with the issue.
But he stressed that while many no longer use the boxes they remain vital for some, and he hoped to see it reconnected as soon as possible.
He said: "BT's work to make the phone box safe and try to get it back into action was very prompt. Phone booths are not much used these days but they are essential for people who have no credit or power on their mobile phones.
"We only have a few booths left in Ludlow. We need to retain them."
