Ice cream Sunday

Rodborough Common was full of happy families enjoying an ice cream Sunday, basking in the sunshine and humming along to The Hustlers Ragtime Jazz Band who played classics including When You Were Young Maggie and When The Saints Go Marching In.

As well as a rainbow assortment of flavours and new inventions such as frozen yoghurt with wildberry sauce, old favourites including wafers, oyster shells and fruit sundaes were revived in keeping with the traditional theme.

The ice-cream factory, at Green Acres, was started in 1925 by Albert Winstone. It has remained a family firm, and is now managed by his granddaughters Jane Vear and Tracy Jefferies, along with their husbands Colin and John.

Mr Vear said: "It is hugely busy this time of year but we have definitely seen a big soar in trade over the last couple of days, especially today. I think a lot of people have come to see the band - they are quite well-known locally.

"We looked to see what bands were available and then we thought that a nostalgic sort of thing would be appropriate."

Trombone player Brian Hathaway, who started the band six years ago, said: "They have been a lovely crowd and so far this weekend the weather has held out, which is great because it was forecast for rain.

"We had a crowd of a couple of hundred people earlier on." Drummer Nick Hathaway added: "I was mobbed by groupies!" John Birchall, who came along with partner Kathleen Lloyd and twins Bethany and Daniel, who will celebrate their second birthday in five weeks time, said it had been a "lovely" day.

Mr Birchall said: "We thought we would have a drive out to show the kids some cows and sheep and things. "It's been really nice. The band is really good."

Mr Vear said the company was hoping to donate the chocolate and vanilla ice cream cake to a local charity, adding: "It is too small to give out today, but it would be a nice thought to give it to people."