Phone box sculpture 'is well out of order'

A work by the artist David Mach has become the target of a hate campaign by shopkeepers who say it is bad for business.

A work by the artist David Mach has become the target of a hate campaign by shopkeepers who say it is bad for business.

The sculpture, called Out of Order, has turned a bustling shopping street in Kingston upon Thames into a dead-end, they say.

Reynold Lambardi, vice-president of the trader's association, said yesterday: "We want those boxes removed. People have seen furry animals there. We've a drugs centre around the corner. It's only a matter of time before children fall on a needle. Apparently it costs the council £10,000 a year just to maintain them."

Mr Mach, also known for his submarine of tyres and a brick train, said: "A few people don't like it but a lot do. If they decide to get rid of it they'll have to drop a bomb on it - it's the hardest sculpture I've ever made."