Anger as vandals wreck phone box

Nov 7 2002 By Helen Harper, Caernarfon And Denbigh Herald

A CAERNARFON man is furious at the actions of those who vandalised a telephone kiosk in the town.

Cllr Huw Edwards was shocked to learn that a telephone kiosk on Caer Garreg had been vandalised beyond repair, and he is angry that such a valuable commodity has been damaged in this way.

He said: "It is diabolical to see that such a thing could happen. I don't know what BT are going to do, or if they will even put another one theretoreplace it.

"I am sorry to say that these things are going on. They must have been using a hammer to do this kind of damage. They have not just vandalised the outside, they have torn everything out fro m the inside," he said.

He continued: "It's not on. What if somebody was in need of an ambulance? You never know who will be needing a telephone, fro m an elderly woman or if somebody is hit by a car.

"I have been a councillor in this town for many years now, and I haven't seen anything like it in Caer Garreg. I'm really shocked by it."

A BT spokesman was unable to say how much it would cost to replace individual kiosks, but said: "It can cost thousands of pounds if the whole kiosk and mechanisms have been damaged. It all depends on how much damage has been done.

"If there is specific damage to a specific area, the price varies according to what has been vandalised and what we would need to do to it."