A CORTEGE of ice cream vans sounded their chimes as they followed the coffin of a popular seller as hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects at his funeral.

Mac Leask worked on the same pitch for a staggering 46 years, providing generations of customers with ice creams and lollies.

He died aged 82 at Sutton Coldfield’s Good Hope Hospital on April 21 after suffering a stroke while working in his van in Walsall, West Mids.

Floral tributes in the shape of a van, lolly and cornet could be seen at the emotional service, which was held at Abbey Church in Erdington, Birmingham, at 11am today (Tue).

Wreaths spelling out ‘Mac’, ‘Dad’ and ‘Granddad’ bordered the coffin of Birmingham’s longest-serving ice-cream van on a fittingly hot sunny day.

A Cadbury’s Crunchie wrapper was also attached to a van-shaped wreath, to signify his favourite treat.

A cortege of six ice cream vans followed the coffin, sounding their chimes in tribute along the streets of Pype Hayes, where Mac sold his ice creams.

The first ice cream van, which followed immediately behind the hearse, was Mac’s own yellow and black truck.

In the rear of his van, a blue t-shirt with the logo ‘Mac’s Ices’ was hanging in the window.

As he was raised on Orkney, bagpipes were played in homage to his Scottish roots.

A floral tribute read: "Uncle Mac, miss you loads. I still can't believe you have gone.

"You was such a lovely, kindhearted, caring, hardworking man who everyone loved.

"We are going to miss our chats and laughs we had all over a cup of tea. You was a legend. Goodnight and God bless. Love you loads."

Mac settled in Birmingham in the 1960s and, after stints at Lucas and as a French polisher, he invested in his first ice-cream van, which had a hand-rung bell.

His wife Marita died in 1992.

Daughter-in-law Janet Hobbis said: "It's the perfect service. It's the perfect day for an ice cream and that's what Mac would have wanted.

"He was out come rain or shine, you know, and he absolutely loved being an ice cream man. Everybody loved him.

“It was his life. He loved the job.

“After the stroke, they took him to Walsall Manor Hospital. His speech was poor, but his first words to us were ‘Get the van’.

“His mobility was poor, so we used to lie him across the seat. He wanted to be his own boss.

“He worked Pype Hayes for 46 years and served generations of families.

“He worked every day and even took the ice cream van out in the snow.

“Mac was a true gentleman. If he didn’t have a good word to say, he wouldn’t say anything.

“There won’t be another like him.

“The customers loved him and he was very popular with other ice-cream men.”

Daughter Emma cared for Mac at his Erdington home during the last months.

Facebook user Tobi Brown wrote: “Mac was one in a million to us kid's growing up. Will be sorely missed.”

Christine Anslow added: “He was a great bloke and will be greatly missed by thousands of families in Erdington that he so lovingly served.”