A FLOATING ice-cream van has been creating ripples throughout York, and not just of the raspberry variety.

Local businessman Steve Blakeman’s innovative idea of combining an old ice-cream truck with a retired working boat to serve up summer treats has been impressing residents and visitors to the city alike.

He said: “The reaction has been amazing. It has been really positive which is absolutely great.

“People love it when they see it coming down the river and when they hear the chimes they fall in love with it.”

With a giant strawberry cone decorated with chocolate sprinkles at the front of the boat, there’s no confusion that this is an ice-cream van with a difference as the iconic tune plays as it sails along the river.

Mr Blakeman found the old tug, which has a diesel engine and a horse power of 80, at Hebden Bridge and decided to combine it with an old ice-cream van from Whitby which had been serving at Robin Hood’s Bay on the seafront.

He said: “I had thought about ice-cream boats for a while. Both were in need of serious repair so I decided to strip out the rot from both of them and build one good unit out of the two.

“It has got plenty of power to be pulling a few ice creams round with.”

Putting the anchor down at Millennium Bridge at around 3pm on most days, the floating ice-cream parlour can serve not only those who are enjoying a stroll along the river, but those in boats and canoes too.

From the “duck hatch”, boating and water sports enthusiasts can grab their ice-creams on the go and make the most of their time on the water.

Although there are other ice-cream boats across the country, Two Hoots is the first to come to York and the first Whitby-Morrison creation of its kind, using an original ice-cream van.