Carlos’ ice-cream van is parked at the side of a road. Lights are flashing, music is playing and a big queue of excited kids stretches down the street. But there is no sign of Carlos. An astute policeman (they do exist), who is walking down the road, wonders if something is amiss. Where is Carlos? Why is he not serving the children with ice-creams?

He goes over to the van and peers over the high counter. He spots Carlos on the floor. Lying extremely still, Carlos is covered from head to toe in chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, nuts, coconut, hundreds and thousands, a chocolate Flake and little jelly bits.

“Get back kids,” the policeman directs the children away from the scene.

He steadies himself with a hand on the counter and he takes out his mobile phone.

“S…S…Sarge, g…, get, someone down here quick,” he stutters. “I’m afraid it’s Carlos, the ice-cream man… He’s topped himself!”

Below are some photographs from Carlos’ family album.