Flakes of fury! Met Police swoop on rip-off ice cream van charging £7 for 99 Flake - with one fuming customer paying £28 for just four cones from unlicensed vendorCustomers felt too embarrassed to challenge the extortionate pricesThe unlicensed ice cream van was parked on Westminster Bridge

By Chloe Louise

Updated: 21:04 EDT, 26 August 2023

The nostalgic chimes of a Mr Whippy van have long been a fixture of British summers.

But Brits were left furious this summer after they forked out £7 for a 99 flake ice cream.

An unlicensed ice cream van, based in London, was swooped on by Metropolitan police after the vendor charged an eye-watering £28 for four cones.

It was thought to be the most expensive in the country.

Customers, who felt too embarrassed to challenge the extortionate prices, claimed the van was charging at an inflated price, according to the Daily Star.

The nostalgic chimes of a Mr Whippy van have long been a fixture of British summers

Brits were left furious this summer after they forked out £7 for a 99 flake ice cream

The van was parked just yards from the Houses of Parliament on Westminster Bridge.

Tourist Joanna Szymbor told the Daily Star: 'I feel ripped off. It was £28 for four ice creams.

'There were no prices displayed – I normally ask for a price but it was hot and we'd been sightseeing for eight hours.

'I paid thinking I heard it wrong. I'd already handed the ice cream to the kids, so I didn't want to be embarrassed.'

This left Brits devastated as they now believe the days of a 99 are 'long gone'.

One customer said: 'The days where you'd get change from a pound for a 99 are long gone, but £7 has got to be the most expensive one ever.'

An unlicensed ice cream van, based in London, was seized by Metropolitan police yesterday after they charged an eye-watering £28 for four cones

Customers, who felt too embarrassed to challenge the extortionate prices, claimed the van was charging at an inflated price

The Metropolitan Police and Lambeth Council have impounded the van as it was operating without a licence and parked on a cycle lane.

Roads and Transport MPS tweeted: 'Recently we've worked with MPS Lambeth North, City of Westminster and Lambeth Council to explore legal options around ice cream vans obstructing the cycle lane on #WestminsterBridge.

'We've reported offences to court, issued points, community protection notices and today, we seized.'

MailOnline has contacted Metropolitan Police and Lambeth Council for a comment.

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