An ice cream van was swept into the sea at Harlyn Bay, near Padstow, after rough waves flooded the vehicle’s interior with seawater around 5 PM on Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, the driver was not in the vehicle at the time.
Crowds of beachgoers waded into the sea, attempting to prevent the vehicle from being washed away. Despite their efforts, the van was ultimately claimed by the sea and dashed against nearby rocks. A witness described the incident as “very strange” and likened it to a scene from an “end of the world film.”
“The driver of the ice cream van drove straight down to the bottom of the beach – to the lowest point of low tide,” the witness recounted. “The beach was packed – it was the first proper summer beach day we have had in a couple days now, so it was a gorgeous day and he probably wanted the business. But then the tide started coming in, and he couldn’t drive off.”
A spokesperson for HM Coastguard reported that the van owner arranged for a recovery of the vehicle around 9:45 PM when the tide was low enough. “Just before 5 yesterday afternoon (07 July), HM Coastguard was made aware of an ice cream van that was caught by the tide at Harlyn Bay, Cornwall,” the statement read. “Padstow Coastguard Rescue Team and RNLI Lifeguards were sent to ensure the safety of those involved.”
A police officer and a firefighter were also photographed at the scene as the vehicle was pulled to dry land. It is not believed that anyone was injured during the attempted rescue.
