Jingle ban for cone man

Council bosses say van tunes are noise pollution

An ice cream man in Merseyside has been taken to court for sounding his chimes out of hours.

David Marsh, 42, was fined £200 and ordered to pay £75 in costs after playing the jingles at 1950 GMT and trading without a licence.

An act of parliament bans ice cream vans from playing their tunes before 1200 GMT and after 1900 GMT.

Outside those hours Marsh has been told he is only allowed to use a hand bell to let cone-lovers know he is in the neighbourhood.

Vans can not use speakers after 1900 GMT

The offence took place in St Helens, Merseyside, on 15 April.

Marsh, of Widnes, Cheshire, was fined £100 by St Helens magistrates during a hearing in his absence this week.

He was also fined £100 for trading without a licence and ordered to pay £75 costs.

Council officer Colin Preston said Marsh had been warned about noise pollution.

Hand bell

He said: "This particular individual had been warned about trading without a licence and about using his speakers after 1900 GMT.

"He ignored those warnings and action was taken.

"We are not telling people they can't trade after 1900 GMT, but they must use a hand bell rather than speakers."

Marsh was unavailable for comment.