MORE than 100 East Lancashire phone boxes are to be removed after BT bosses said they could no longer justify keeping them.

BT published a phone boxes hit-list last October which included 80 in East Lancashire.

But the first stage of its review has led to that number rising to 102, with the company also confirming which it intends to scrap in Ribble Valley for the first time.

The issue is expected to be debated by local councils who will make representations on any phone boxes they think should be saved.

The company blames the increase in use of mobile phones - but pledged to keep certain phones where there is deemed to be a social need.

In Blackburn with Darwen, the number of kiosks currently stands at 129. That will fall by 21 to 108.

In Hyndburn, 13 will be removed, so the total falls from 76 to 63.

Ribble Valley currently has 77 but 23 will be removed, several of which are in remote rural locations.

Of the 84 kiosks in Burnley, 13 have been earmarked for the axe.

In Pendle, there are currently 86 kiosks and under the plans 18 will go.

And in Rossendale, the number of boxes will fall by 14 to 50.

A spokesman for BT said today that the company is not allowed to subsidise its payphone business so getting the balance right between commercial pressures and providing a public service was vital.

Paul Hendron, director of BT Payphones, said: "We recognise that people have concerns about our plans to reduce the number of payphones, but I would like to reassure them that BT is still committed to the service, particularly for the communities who need us most."