Ice-cream vans have been ordered to silence their jingles after four seconds because they are considered to be noise pollution.

Salesmen accustomed to luring children with lively interpretations of songs such as Oranges and Lemons and O Sole Mio can play a second short blast of music after three minutes, but will be banned from playing a third tune for another two hours. Up-beat renditions of Dvorák’s New World Symphony and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, for example, will also be limited to 80 decibels from eight metres (25ft) away in certain areas.

Worcester City Council’s licensing committee recently approved a list of rules for ice-cream sellers after complaints about the way some operated.

Other rules prohibit vans from making any noise outside places of worship, schools during lessons and in narrow or restricted places.

Ice-cream salesmen have given the new rules a frosty reception. Dean Clarke, of Dean’s Ices, said: “I think it’s silly and it will just speed up the death of what used to be a great British institution. It is something that kids used to look forward to, the ice-cream van coming round; now they won’t even have a clue if there’s one outside.”

The council said the restrictions would make clear the difference between fixed street traders, who pay more than £3,000 a year for a li-cence, and mobile street traders, who pay £87. Andy Fox, senior licensing officer, said: “It is not the intention to put anyone out of business. It’s about being able to license everyone legitimately and carry out enforcement.”

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