AN ice cream man has been ordered to pay almost £1,500 after he was found guilty of selling ice creams from his van without a permit.

Naeem Kaify, of Plodder Lane, Farnworth, carried on selling ice creams despite having been warned by a council officer that he was trading illegally, a court was told.

South Ribble magistrates, sitting at Leyland, were told that he had been seen over three days in July last year selling ice creams in Highfield Road North, Adlington, and at Valley View, Bowland Avenue, Brown Street and Redwood Drive, all in Chorley.

He was warned by a council officer, but was later seen again continuing to trade.

Kaify, who failed to attend court, had told Chorley Council officers when interviewed under caution, he held a street trading licence in Wigan but not for Chorley, and he was unsure whether he had been in the Wigan or Chorley area. He claimed he had come into Chorley accidentally and not on purpose.

Kaify also said he had wanted to build up a round before applying for consent.

The 40-year-old wa fined £600 and ordered to pay £852 prosecution costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Cllr Terry Brown, who looks after public health issues for Chorley Council, said: “The street trading laws are there to help protect people’s health. If someone trades without the necessary consent they are effectively under our radar and not subject to proper inspection.

“Consent means we can control trading so that it’s not springing up here, there and everywhere, where it could cause obstruction and nuisance to residents.

“We do get illegal traders, particularly in the summer, but we are regularly informed of their whereabouts and we will prosecute if we find them.”