TOWN officials have expressed their disbelief after an important phone box was cut off despite taxpayers paying �500 to keep it functioning. Renewed calls to EDF Energy Networks, who carried out the disconnection work, have been made by Dunmow town clerk

TOWN officials have expressed their disbelief after an important phone box was cut off despite taxpayers paying �500 to keep it functioning.

Renewed calls to EDF Energy Networks, who carried out the disconnection work, have been made by Dunmow town clerk Owen Wilson, who said that the phone box - located outside Foakes Hall - is still disconnected.

"It has been completely farcical. Workmen turned up to disconnect the phone box last week and I tried to intervene, only to be told that they had a ticket to do so," he said.

"After making a number of calls more workmen came to fill in the resulting hole days later, but did not reconnect the phone."

He added: "The whole situation has been like a comedy sketch, but we are not seeing the funny side because the phone box is an important contact point in an emergency - it is the only phone box in the centre of town."

A British Telecom consultation conducted last year gave the opportunity for councillors to save the old red telephone box, at a cost of �500.

Mr Wilson said: "The investment was made and we chose to keep the phone operational. All of these problems have come from communication companies not communicating."

BT confirmed that the box had been "adopted" by the town council and that it would not be removed.

EDF Energy Networks, who contracted the workman to carry out the removal, apologised for the confusion.

A spokesman said: "The power was disconnected in error as part of a countywide order to disconnect boxes - including over 40 in the Dunmow area. Our contractors have been asked to reconnect the box and we apologise for any inconvenience."

The phone was to be reconnected on Tuesday but flood waters halted progress. EDF said that the work will take place as a matter of urgency.