How This Ice Cream Van Hacked the Heatwave

One of the best things about the heatwave Britain suddenly finds itself in the midst of is the legitimate excuse it provides for near uninterrupted ice cream consumption. Breakfast? Orange Calippo—basically fruit. Lunch is an ice cream sandwich, natch, followed by a Flake 99 for an afternoon snack. And dinner could be nothing other than a Magnum.

While many ice cream vans were out making the most of the nation's frozen dessert cravings yesterday, one vendor from the Midlands found themselves stuck in a tailback on the M6. This canny ice cream seller didn't despair, though, instead spotting the perfect chance to make some extra lolly. Pun fully intended.

With temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius and cars full of hangry drivers trailing back in both directions, the unnamed Mr Whippi van driver opened the Perspex window for business. Sweltering drivers were soon scrambling in glove boxes and underneath seats for spare change to line up and buy ice cream.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, eyewitness and appreciative motorway cone customer Colin Somerville said: "People stopped their cars and there were people on the motorway because it was red hot. It was 32 degrees according to my car thermometer."

"People started passing my car with ice cream cones and I realised there was queue for the ice cream. I bought a 99 cone. It was a bit of madness."

But in the madness, community spirit prevailed. Somerville added: "There was one instance where there was a truck driver and he couldn't leave his HGV unattended and someone in another car got it for him."

According to Somerville, ice creams were eaten and traffic started moving again within an hour.

Entrepreneurial ice cream van drivers, take note. If sales are down, all you need do is gridlock your customers between the Rugby and Coventry motorway junctions on the hottest day of the year. They'll flock like moths to a cone-shaped flame.