Ice cream makers and sellers have had a brilliant day in the sunshine - with some saying a heat wave can triple their takings.

Ipswich Star: The ice cream kiosk at Gun Hill, Southwold, had a very busy day Picture: DAVID VINCENTThe ice cream kiosk at Gun Hill, Southwold, had a very busy day Picture: DAVID VINCENT (Image: Archant)

Thousands of people have headed to the beach today to take advantage of the sunshine and scorching weather, grabbing a ice cream cone to cool them down.

Graham Fotherby, manager of the Little Ice Cream Company in Felixstowe, said he has had a brilliant day of trading.

He said: "It has been really good. "The kids have broken up too so it's a win-win for us. "The uplift on sales on a sunny day like this versus a cloudy, rainy day can be two or three times better.

"We wish for a hot spell like this, we have to may hay while the sun shines so to say."

Mark Bryant, from the Gun Hill beach kiosk in Southwold, said: "It has been absolutely fantastic.

"It's quite simple for us, the hottest it gets the better off we are. "Thankfully it's never too hot on the coast, I guess in a place like Ipswich it can get much to hot.

"But there's a lovely sea breeze here and the beach is just packed. "It's perfect ice cream weather, perfect beach weather - perfect Suffolk weather."