AMONG the tinkling ice cream vans that used to drive around the county in the post war years was one of Worcestershire's own.

York-Jones had a factory in Vines Lane, Droitwich from where it sallied forth to do battle with national brands like Walls or Lyons Maid.

In fact, it was one of the first in the UK to make the soft or "whippy" ice cream, which was retailed by other firms.

Alan York-Jones explained during an interview in the mid-70s that the "whippy" was less rich in fat content than the usual type, that was why it was more pliable.

It was also kept in a special "soft ice cream freezer".

York-Jones is sadly no more, but here is an image taken at the time of that interview in 1975 showing ice cream squirting out of a nozzle into containers ready for the storage fridge.