The BBC's Richard Bilton: Ice cream chimes a-changing

Those in search of ever-bigger sales have suggested that pop hits by bands such as Oasis should replace the traditional tunes.

The idea is that "trendy tunes" will get more children running out of their houses, pocket-money in hand, to queue up for ice creams.

Wonder-Wall's

The idea has come from Birds Eye Wall's, which asked the owners of its 200 franchised driver operations to consider a change of image from the traditional tunes.

Children: Just give us the best ice cream

"We are always looking at innovation and moving with the times," said a company spokesman.

"To a lot of young people these tunes may not mean as much as they do to the older generation, and perhaps more up-to-date music might be more appropriate."

The company, which has 75% of ice-cream sales, is suggesting tunes like "Ice, Ice Baby," by Vanilla Ice to boost sales further.

Sp-ice Girls

The Ice Cream Alliance, which represents 750 British outlets, said new tunes would reflect the industry's changing image.

"Traditional tunes are still popular but a lot of members go to more events now," said a spokeswoman.

"If you were going to Glastonbury, for example, it would probably be better to have something more up-to-date than Three Blind Mice."

But the evidence suggests that not many people agree. George Parkinson, who has trundled his ice-cream van around the streets of Birmingham for more than 60 years, said the idea was a "load of rubbish".

"People get to know you and they like the tunes," he said.

And a straw poll of children buying ice cream suggested that they are not bothered about the music - they said they just wanted the ice cream to be the best!

Cold comfort

Although ice cream is Britain's favourite dessert, the average person consumes only eight litres a year, a small amount compared with the US where on average they get through 22 litres.

In fact, in America ice cream has a cult following. There are more than 20,000 ice-cream parlours across the country and Americans regularly queue outside them for the latest flavours - even in the snow.