A PART-TIME ice cream man from Abergavenny will launch the first in a series of children’s books today.

Trainee accountant Chris Copner is the self-published author of ‘Pinky and Friends: The Big Melt Down’, which follows an animated fleet of ice cream vans who provide an undertone of road safety messages for children.

It will make its launch at the Abergavenny Carnival today and will be available to purchase from Mr Copner’s very own ice cream van.

The 25-year-old has been fascinated with vans since he was five and boasts a vast collection of model ice cream vans - before buying the real thing nearly six years ago.

He said: "I was saving up and working part-time at Iceland at the time. The van I bought was actually the same van I used to buy ice cream from with my friends when I was a child, so it was a dream come true, really."

The book is already available on book retailers Waterstone’s website and has cost Mr Copner around £3,000 to get published.

He added: "The books have been in my mind for years. The second one is ready for publishing now as well.

"My friend is a school teacher and he keeps telling me that there aren’t enough books on road safety for children.

"They’ll be reading it and not realising that they’re learning at the same time."

Mr Copner has spent the best part of £4,000 renovating his 1976 Ford MK 1 Transit van after purchasing it from a Cardiff vender for £1,400 in November 2007.

He has since restored its original features including fixing the van’s freezer and ice cream maker, removed rust, re-sprayed the bodywork, re-painted the ceiling and filled a hole in the floor.

Mr Copner believes his renovated van could now be worth more than £10,000, but warned selling the van is not an option.

"Definitely not, no way. That’s my prized possession," he said.

"I take it across the country to different shows when I have the time and I really love doing it."

Mr Copner hopes to hold a road safety event across local schools and has been in touch with Gwent Police.

He said: "All the feedback I’ve been getting so far is very positive. I think this could be something really good."