A schoolgirl has put the finishing touches to one of Highgate’s crowning glories - its iconic red telephone boxes.

Arianna Shankardass, eight, helped to restore one of the village’s six listed telephone boxes by painting the gold royal crown representing the British government at the very top of the booth.

The Highgate Junior School pupil, of East Finchley, was the youngest member of a team of volunteers led by vet Allan Rapley and Highgate Society member Andrew Sulston who have re-painted the telephone box in Pond Square.

British Telecom, which owns the boxes, has mended broken windows, fixed faulty phones and will re-paint the remaining five boxes in Highgate.

Mr Rapley, 64, of Highgate High Street, said: “It just brightens the village up.”