THEY'VE been ringing the changes at Belbroughton's unusual library - based in an old red telephone box.

And the newly-upgraded Belbroughton Book Exchange is certainly ringing a bell with villagers- as well as cyclists and hikers passing through - who are queueing up to browse the shelves.

The exchange - one of the smallest libraries in the world - was set up five years ago and it has become a honey pot for Belbroughton's avid readers.

Now it has undergone a facelift, with new shelving and a mahogany bench outside inscribed with the words: "Rest, read and reflect".

The library is kept stocked up as villagers borrow books and replace them with their own used volumes.

"People use it an awful lot - and it was particularly popular over the Christmas holidays," said retired teacher Ruth Perry, aged 70, of High Street, Belbroughton, who runs the exchange with the help of a small group of neighbours and fellow members of the village history society.

When the history group discovered the phone kiosk in High Street, on the corner of High Street and Pinchers Close, was going to be removed by BT in 2011, members decided to find a way of saving it for the village.

“The kiosk is very nice street furniture, although it was getting dilapidated and was non-commissioned, with none of its internal organs left inside,” said Mrs Perry.

“We had to have an authorised body to take it over so Belbroughton Parish Council became our underwriter and the history society purchased it from BT for a nominal £1."

BT gave the kiosk a fresh coat of paint and even put the gold crowns back on, because they had worn off.

“We wanted it to be useful, rather than decorative, and mused over what we could use it for," said Mrs Perry, who has lived in Belbroughton for more than 25 years.

“Then we hit upon the idea of turning it into a library for the village.

“I’m obsessed about children reading and I’m glad to see so many young people in the village using our library.”

Mrs Perry, neighbours Sue and Ian Dalziel, Sue Pawley and history society chairman Sarah Bradley set the book exchange up, with shelving provided by Belbroughton Woodyard, which the volunteers painted black.

The library now houses more than 100 books, with a stock of more fact, fiction and children's books stored at Mrs Perry's home to top up when needed.

"We're getting incredibly professional and have recently given the book exchange an upgrade, with new shelving provided by the Aladdin's Cabin woodyard, which Ian Dalziel fitted.

"We also have a 5ft long chair, bought by Belbroughton History Society, which Richard Bartram, from the Post Office, arranged to be inscribed."