Ice cream seller builds replica van for first grandchild
It's enough to make your heart melt...never mind your ice cream! Little Ivy-Leigh tries out her new wheels built by proud ice cream man grandfather Alfonso Urso.
And the mini model is an exact replica of Alfonso's own van, which is a familiar sight on the roads of the Black Country.
The 47-year-old's family has been serving up ice creams in the region for almost 60 years and he is hoping his first grandchild will follow in his footsteps.
Alfonso is the third generation of his family to run ice cream business Alfonso & Sons after his grandfather started it in 1960 after moving over from Sicily.
The 47-year-old now runs it with eldest son Carmelo, and has created an exact replica electric model ice cream van for his first grandchild 10-month-old Ivy-Leigh Halls.
It took Alfonso, from Willenhall, just a month to build and now little Ivy-Leigh will be able to press on a pedal to accelerate when she is big enough, and move a gear stick to go forwards and reverse.
He said: "My grandad started the business off in 1960 and it has been passed on through the generations.They were based in Dudley when they first moved over from Sicily.
"I started working with my dad when I was 16. He retired and then in 1999 passed away and I carried it on. My one lad Carmelo now works with me.
"I had this idea of coming up with a fully electric scale model for my granddaughter.
"It's got a little gear stick to move forward and reverse and put her foot on the pedal and it'll drive.
"I painted it by myself and my friend did the graphics to try and get it as near to my van as possible.
"Mine is a replica of the model my grandad drove which I had three years ago, his was an Austin FG.
"Ivy cracked a few smiles when she was sat in it, the rest of the family loved it.
"I didn't think it would come out as good as it has.
"It would be fantastic if my grandchildren continued the business."
Alfonso is normally at Willenhall Park from February to October.
