The world’s smallest art gallery – set up in an empty phone box – has been given the brush off after the kiosk disappeared.

A new exhibition was due to be displayed in the Little’un Art Gallery in Halesowen but the day before it was installed the box was removed.

Teresa Crawford-Docherty, the artist behind the tiny exhibition launched in June in Banners Street, says she has been swamped with calls from people upset it has been cut.

The self-employed photographer, aged 40, said: “It’s such a shame because it had become something of a landmark.

“I’ve had people knocking my door, phoning and emailing to say how sad they are it has disappeared.

“People had taken it to their hearts and it had helped to foster a community spirit.”

Photographs she had taken showing the transformation of sites such as the old Clanceys foundry and the Cornbow centre in Halesowen where a new Asda has been built, would have been featured in the latest exhibition.

Instead, controversial venue The Public in West Bromwich has agreed to exhibit them next month. And a three dimensional replica of the Little’un art gallery will go on display at the Volte, low level railway station, Sun Street, Wolverhampton from 6pm on Friday.

The gallery’s fortunes have not fared well as just four hours after it was originally opened, thieves stole artwork.

Miss Crawford-Docherty said at the time how disheartening it was that someone had taken the acrylic canvas depicting climate change so soon after its launch in the booth.

But she was delighted when a pen and ink drawing of a butterfly was put in its place by a mystery artist.

Miss Crawford-Docherty was inspired to create the original exhibition because she was so fed up of looking at the eyesore of a disused kiosk opposite her house.

BT confirmed it removed the payphone as part of its ongoing review of kiosks due to a decline in use. Spokeswoman Emma Tennant said: “The kiosk had been on our removal programme for some time and we were given permission by the council to remove it.”