Tory candidate Jenny Langston is using a novel form of transport during the election campaign - and she hopes to give her opponents a licking.

She is travelling around in an ice cream van loaned to her by Sean Kempin, the boss of British Bulldog Ice Creams.

He fought for the right to be recognised by Labour-controlled Brighton and Hove Council as a roundsman, saying that the fee imposed by the authority on each of his vans for street trading was unreasonable.

But the council refused his plea and when he challenged it at the Court of Appeal he lost.

Now all councils can charge ice cream vans an administration fee.

Mr Kempin said: "I have been forced to take action to protect a service enjoyed by the public.

"Even the Queen has shown an interest and has passed my case on to Lord Irvine for further investigation.

"This is another stealth tax, this time on our children's ice cream. I have put my case to leading Labour councillors and have been ignored.

"The only people listening to and representing the interests of the public in this matter are the Conservatives and I am happy to put my weight behind Jenny Langston in Hove and Portslade."

Councillor Langston welcomed his support and said his firm provided a valuable service to the community.

She added: "Labour has pushed Sean, a local businessman, through the courts at great expense when all it had to do was listen and lead.

"Now Brighton and Hove will be known as the council that encouraged taxation on children's treats."

May 17 2001