A CLASSIC red phone box in Cumbria has been transformed with a lifesaving bit of kit.

The Loweswater based box has been fitted with a defibrillator and is the 3,000th 'adopted' phone box in the UK.

The Community Heartbeat Trust bought the box for £1 as part of BT's Adopt a Kiosk scheme and the milestone booth was officially 'opened' on May 9.

Lauren Watson, North West Ambulance’s Chain of Life co-ordinator for Cumbria, said that it was a 'wonderful location' for a public access defibrillator.

"This defibrillator will be passed by lots of walkers everyday as well as serving the local village," she said. "A brilliant project and one the ambulance service is very happy to have supported."

The defibrillator machine provides spoken step-by-step instructions, analysing the victim to determine if they are suffering from a cardiac arrest and delivering a powerful, but controlled electric shock to restore normal heartbeat if required.

As there is no mobile phone signal at the kiosk, BT has also sponsored a landline for emergency calls.

As well as being repainted to bring the vibrant red icon back to life, a local resident has designed and installed a new floor in the box.

Roger Hiley, the artist, said he drew his inspiration from the landscape around him.

"The mural stone draws on the green of the Lakeland fells, the creamy whites of the Swaledale ewes and the ruddled red of the classic Herdwicks at show time,” he said. "The floor design also ties in with the Red Cross emblem to link to the neutrality and service commitment of those who give their time and efforts in the cause of the common good."

Martin Fagan, national secretary for the Community Heartbeat Trust charity, which undertook the project, said: "The use of redundant phone boxes is both a life saver for the community and these iconic structures.

"The renovation of the box, which includes a commissioned floor reflecting the character of the Lake District, the placement of a life-saving defibrillator and the installation uniquely of a 999 emergency telephone, reflects a super use of this installation and we are immensely grateful to BT for their very generous support for this."