Fab at fifty: The story behind five decades of the ice lolly favourite

WE have been celebrating some amazing anniversaries in recent years — but none as fab as this one.

It’s 50 years since fab ice lollies first appeared, and record-breaking ice-cream-van man Paul Salamone came out of retirement to help them mark the half century.

Fabs were brought out in 1967 at a time when Thunderbirds was extremely popular on TV and used the phrase “F-A-B” instead of “Roger”.

The original packaging featured Lady Penelope and her driver-butler Parker, and the brand of ice lollies has done remarkably well ever since.

So who better than Paul to mark the anniversary?

“We worked with Paul Salamone, the world’s longest-serving ice-cream man, bringing him out of retirement for one last shift to celebrate fab ice lollies’ 50 years of success,” says spokeswoman Alice Franks.

“Now 78, Paul worked for almost 50 years as an ice-cream man in Watford, and was honoured with a Guinness World Record in 2014 for his long service — so he now has two world records!

“Fab and Salamone hand delivered the limited-edition birthday cake-flavoured fabs, which have been created to celebrate the 50th birthday.”

Paul himself said: “I was delighted to be a part of such a momentous occasion.

“I can remember serving fab ice lollies many moons ago in my ice-cream van and it is great to see they are still a firm favourite to this day.

“A very happy 50th birthday to this truly British symbol of summertime!”

Paul emigrated to Britain from Italy in 1965, spotted an ice-cream van and realised that was what he wanted to do.

He worked for other people at first, but eventually started his own business and it has thrived ever since.

In fact, whole generations of British kids have grown up knowing the sight of Paul Salamone means ice treats are in store!

His first cones with a Flake cost just 4d, whereas now they’re a slightly-pricier £1.50.

Paul’s ice empire ultimately grew to half a dozen vans, and even incorporated his own ice-cream-manufacturing plant.

In his many years behind the wheel of his van, Paul sold over two million cones, making him the world’s longest-serving ice-cream man.

Paul opened his firm, Tonino & Son, in 1971 and went on to work from his van for almost half a century.

He chose the name as he thought it was easier to say than his real one.

He admits the firm has had hard times as well as good, but he wouldn’t have changed a thing over the years.

It was only when his grandson, 10-year-old Ethan Edwards, noticed he had beaten the previous record-holder by a decade that he got his Guinness record.

When he retired — before his fab return — Paul handed the business to son Alberto and his two sons-in-law.

He says that in some of Watford’s streets, he has served: “Grandmothers, mothers, children and their children.”

And presumably all of those lucky people reckon that when it comes to serving great ice cream, Paul has the competition licked.