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When Producer Pete told me that I was going to run an ice cream van for the day it certainly got my mouth watering.  I love ice cream and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to eat quite a lot.  Little did I know it's actually very hard work!

Our first stop was at a secret location in Wiltshire.  This is where we met Ice Cream Man - Fat Sam and his van - and where we got everything prepared for the day ahead.

It was a secret location because apparently the Ice Cream Business can be a pretty cut throat game with different companies vying for business on the same routes in ice cream turf wars.

First Sam showed me how to set up the machine.  This involved pulling on some rather unsexy blue gloves and greasing up all the little parts.  Once it was all well oiled I put the machine together so all the parts would work smoothly. 

It was really important to screw the front plate on tightly - there's a lot of pressure in there - and if it wasn't fitted correctly we could have found ourselves and the van covered in ice cream (I am not sure I like it that much!).

With the ice cream cooling we set off for Oak Apple Day at Great Wishford near Salisbury.  Luckily when we got there the sun was shining and Sam was hopeful for a busy day's trade.  This is where he showed me how to pull the perfect whipped cone.

Unfortunately at first I wasn't as skilled at it as him - which had Pete and cameraman Trevor in stitches as they watched me produce a variety of rather odd shaped ice creams and spray myself with the stuff. 

You have to pull the lever quite gently - if you pull down too much it comes out very quickly and goes everywhere - as I soon found out!  Luckily Pete was on hand to eat all the ice creams that went wrong - no wonder he was feeling slightly sick when it was time to leave!

Gradually I got the hang of things and managed to serve some hungry customers but there's lots to think about, not only making the ice creams but handling the money and giving out the correct change. 

There was a steady stream of people and it was pretty exhausting work. 

I think Sam really has his work cut out at the busiest events, he's on the go all day and works 7 days a week throughout the summer.  Sam said I could work for him at the weekends - but I think the thing I was best at was eating my hard earned ice cream at the end of my shift!