Holidaymakers in Cornwall had to come to the rescue along with the coastguard when an ice-cream van parked on the beach was washed out to sea by the incoming tide.
Seawater flooded the Kelly Whip ice-cream van parked on Harlyn Bay beach, near Padstow, on Sunday and dragged it into the sea. The coastguard confirmed that the driver was found safe and was not in the vehicle at the time.
Crowds of people waded into the sea to try to stop the vehicle from getting washed away but they were unsuccessful.
A rescue vehicle was called to the scene in an attempt to retrieve the van. It was towed to safety once the tide had gone out.
Richard Higman, who filmed the incident, told Sky News that the van had been selling ice-cream to beachgoers before it was swept away.
He said: “The driver had apparently off-loaded the ice-cream, when the tide came in over the van and swamped it. “A load of people on the beach got a rope and tried pulling it and got nowhere.”
He added: “When the tide went out, a farmer went down with his tractor and put a rope on it and towed it up the beach.”
The coastguard confirmed no one was injured in the incident.
A recovery vehicle was arranged by the owner to retrieve the van, which arrived about 9:45am after the tide had receded. Coastguard rescue officers left once the vehicle was recovered.
Abi Fisk, who runs a vintage shop in Padstow, said the driver of the van drove straight to the bottom of the beach.
“The beach was packed. But then the tide started coming in, and he couldn’t drive off,” she told the Metro.
“Some people in the car park in a 4×4 tried to winch him out, but the front tyre had sunk into the sand.
“Everyone stood there in amazement,” she said. “Even the surfers started surfing past the van.”
Padstow coastguard said that crew members and RNLI lifeguards attended the incident at about 5pm on Sunday to “ensure the safety of those involved” in the rescue.
In a statement, it said: “Padstow coastguard rescue team and RNLI lifeguards were sent to ensure the safety of those involved.
“The driver was safe and well and not in the vehicle.”
