Mr Whippies may be off the menu, but a Norfolk ice cream man has turned his van into a 24-hour delivery service to provide food for vulnerable people and NHS staff.

Although Craig Trickett, the owner of Jim’s Ice Cream vans, covering South Norfolk, has had to stop serving sweet treats to his communities but he has found another way to keep his business going while helping those who need it most.

Mr Trickett, from Earsham, has temporarily re-purposed his ice cream van to provide a fresh food delivery service for vulnerable people, those are self-isolating or NHS workers.

Mr Trickett said: “People need help. We thought our vans are going to be grounded now and our staff need something to do.

“So now we have started to sell and deliver food and fresh produce. I have been in contact with a local bakers who can provide us with 150 loafs a day and a free-range egg farm who were struggling after its customers have had to close.

“We will also deliver to NHS workers in our area, any time 24 hours a day, so they have fresh food for when they get home.”

The 57-year-old says he wants to support local businesses after many have been forced to close, or have lost vital customers.

But Mr Trickett is also part of an online group of 300 ice cream men from across the country who are all willing to help where they can.

He added: “We have been in touch with Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons to ask if they would like our ice cream vans to help with their deliveries.

“There is a group of 300 of us all over the country, we are all self-employed, we all have freezers and somewhere to put groceries and supermarkets can’t cope with deliveries right now.

“Ice cream men are willing to go out and do our bit. “It helps people out, keeps them in-doors, protects the most vulnerable and supports local businesses.”

Jim’s ice cream vans will be delivering to Earsham, Bungay, Harleston, Diss, Scole, Eye, Dickleburgh, and surrounding villages.

For more information visit his facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pg/jimssouthnorfolkices/about/?ref=page_internal