Ice cream van driver, 45, was caught nearly four times over the drink drive limit after stunned customers reported he seemed 'intoxicated' and 'impaired'

An ice cream van driver has been banned from the road for more than two years after he was found to be nearly four times the drink-drive limit while serving customers.

Hundreds and thousands of tourists were visiting Great Yarmouth in Norfolk during the peak summer period when Radoslaw Jaroszek, 45, was serving up cones and lollies.

Police were alerted by concerned customers who said he seemed 'intoxicated' and 'impaired'.

He was tracked on CCTV as he drove his Ford Transit through the seaside town, where he lives, and pulled over to be breathalysed.

Officers found he had 131mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath – nearly four times the 35mg limit.

He was then taken in for questioning, by which time the lowest reading from a breath sample was 100mg.

Jaroszek appeared at Great Yarmouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday where he admitted drink driving.

The court was told he was working on August 12 for Lamarti's Ice Cream, which was established in 1980 and runs a fleet of modern vans in Norfolk.

Officers told the hearing they 'smelt liquor' when they pulled him over at 3.20pm and he was unsteady on his feet.

Jaroszek claimed he never usually drank but had 'two pints of beer' to help him cope with depression caused by his partner's recent miscarriage.

Speaking through an interpreter, he also said in his home country of Poland it was 'quite usual' to drink alcohol and he didn't know the drink-driving laws in the UK were so strict.

Jaroszek was banned from driving for 25 months, given a 12-month community order including 100 hours of unpaid work, ten rehabilitation requirement days and told to pay a total of £100 in court costs.

After his arrest, he was dismissed. He remains unemployed.