A DISUSED phone box could take on a life-saving role.

The kiosk next to the White Horse in the centre of Bradford-on-Tone is now home to a defibrillator.

The machine, which can be used to re-start the heart of someone who has had a cardiac arrest, has been installed thanks to a £500 grant from the Taunton Deane Mayor’s Fund and the Community Trust, with the balance from the parish council.

BT supported the idea by selling the phone box to the parish council for £1.

The idea for the life-saving machine came from the daughter of Bradford-on-Tone parish councillor Peter Haines.

He said: "My daughter Lucy works as a paramedic for the ambulance service in the South West. She gave me the idea and it just went from there.

“We had a great deal of support from people in the village, including Adrian Gaines and David Richards, who helped to refurbish the telephone box and install the defibrillator.”