As Britain basks in an Indian summer, a Ford Transit has helped Ford drivers to keep cool.

The 1998 model Ford Transit ice cream van, called ‘Ginger’, has been on duty in Marsh Mills on the Plymouth coast and at the British Street Food Awards in Suffolk, as part of this month’s Ford Centenary Tour.

Claire Kelsey, founder of Ginger’s Comfort Emporium – which specialises in making distinctive ice cream desserts – created a distinctive new flavour, rhubarb crumble and ginger, in honour of Ford of Britain’s centenary, titled “Ford 99 plus 1” and provided free samples to the first 100 customers to arrive at Vospers Ford dealership in Plymouth.

The 13-year-old Ford Transit has also helped its owner scoop one of the top prizes at the 2011 British Street Food Awards.  Ginger’s Comfort Emporium took the award for Best Dessert with a roast banana, salt caramel and peanut flavoured ice cream.   The Ford Transit claimed second place in the Best Mobiler category, an award for mobile catering.

The judges of the awards included celebrity TV chef, Antony Worrall Thompson, and ‘Cold Feet’ and ‘Reggie Perrin’ actress, Fay Ripley.

Antony Worrall Thompson said: “I’m not normally a sweet eater but this is absolutely delicious.  Not only is the ice cream incredibly tasty, the Ford van is actually very pretty too!”

“It’s a dream come true to win this award – I was delighted when the judges announced we’d won Best Dessert. It’s a flavour I’ve been making for quite some time now and it has obviously gone down well with the judges.” said Claire Kelsey, who started her mobile business, Ginger’s Comfort Emporium, just over 12 months ago.

The Ford Centenary Tour, ending this month, covered a distance of over 2,200 miles across Britain, from Inverness to Southampton and Cardiff to London, in celebration of 100 years of Ford of Britain.