A convoy of ice cream vans drove through a town in a poignant tribute to the owner of an iconic business who served the community for 70 years.

Romeo ‘Rio’ Rossi was the man behind Rio’s Ice Creams in Folkestone and became a well-known face throughout the town, as well as in Ashford and Dover.

Born to Italian parents Assunta and Gustavo, he first began selling ice creams with his father aged 11 shortly after the family moved to Kent from Glasgow.

They bought a former cafe in Marshall Street and turned it into Rio’s Ice Cream parlour with a factory out the back.

While the shop has now closed, the factory is still where the family make all their fresh ice creams today.

Following the death of his father in 1986, Rio took over, becoming the third generation of the Rossi family to run the business.

But on July 21, Rio died at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford following ongoing health problems.

His daughter Julia Rossi said: “Ice cream was my dad's life. He didn't really have holidays he was working 365 days a year and in the winter, even though the season had shut down, he would do all the mechanics on the vans and all the servicing and MOTs.

“They used to have an ice cream parlour on Tontine Street, which is now Jolson’s down at the seafront, that was run as an ice cream parlour between 1972 and 1986.

“When my mum got involved, that was in the days when the soft ice cream came out and it was the heyday of the ice cream where the money was made.

“Folkestone, as a seaside town, was so busy with the Rotunda and the ferries and the amount of coaches coming in.

“Back in the day, apparently one ice cream van cost as much as a house so it was a big risk to take but it took off.

“In the end, they had nine ice cream vans.

“They worked all the hours God sent to pay off the vans.”

Rio married the love of his life Linda in 1966 at St Saviour's Church in Canterbury Road.

They bought their first house in Alexander Street and had two children - Antony in 1969 and Julia in 1971.

Julia explained: “Mum met my dad when she was 15 and she worked at Bobby's as a washer-upper.

“When she passed her test she left Bobby’s and decided to work in the ice cream business and ended up doing it for 53 years before she died in 2021.

“They had a great partnership, he was the love of her life and she was the love of his, they couldn't live without each other.

“And when my mum died, dad was so lost.”

Rio was laid to rest at Hawkinge Crematorium on Wednesday.

The family drove five ice cream vans in tribute while Rio took his final journey through Folkestone.

Julia followed in her mum and dad’s footsteps and started serving ice creams aged 13 in the early 80s.

Her brother Antony was also involved but sadly died six years ago.

Now her sons Jake, 26, and Louie, 17, will carry on the legacy as the fifth generation.

Despite taking a step back from the business in his later years, Rio still worked in the factory making lollies and was even out on the road with Louie months before he died.

The pair went to the local parks with the bells chiming and travelled to Dover, one of his favourite towns to visit.

Julia said: “Jake and Louie are the fifth generation now and they both wish to carry on the business.

“What I’m most proud of is that we're manufacturers which you don't find many of now.

“We make our own sauces, ice cream and lollies.

“A lot of people buy their milk from manufacturing companies but we make our own milk products so ours really is freshly made for you.”

Julia says everyone remembers the firm’s cherry brandy lollies from “back in the day”.

“Before you could buy lollies from big companies, my dad used to make his own lollies and there was cherry brandy, cider, raspberry and orange,” she said.

“Somebody did a tribute up at the cemetery with the lolly bags because that's what everybody talked about.

“My dad even made his own sauce and we still carry on that tradition now.

“He passed the ingredients and recipes on to my son before he died so that tradition can keep going.

“Dad was the heart of the business. He was such a lovable character.

“He always said, the job is not about being a millionaire, it's about providing a community service, and that's the way that we see it.”

While Julia is proud to keep the business going, she says the changing face of Folkestone over the years has made the job more challenging.

She said: “Times have changed with the ice cream now, the heyday's been and gone and now it's got to the stage where the council say you can't park here, and you can't go there.

“Folkestone's not Folkestone anymore, you haven't got the ferries or the Rotunda.

“There used to be coaches full of people but if you go up there now and there's nothing, You’ve got the harbour arm but that’s not the same.”

The business celebrated its 100th birthday in 2023 and Julia hopes to carry on her father’s legacy serving Rio’s ice creams for generations to come.