These dramatic pictures show an ice cream van that was washed out to sea after getting stuck in the sand at the weekend.

The ice cream went for a bit of a surf!The ice cream went for a bit of a surf! (Image: SWNS/Abi Fisk)

The Kelly’s of Bodmin ice-cream van got stuck in the sand at the western end of Harlyn Bay beach, North Cornwall, as the tide began to turn on Sunday afternoon, July 7.

The ice cream van is pounded by the wavesThe ice cream van is pounded by the waves (Image: SWNS/Abi Fisk)

Despite multiple attempts to pull the van out of the water, the tide was too strong, and it was left swirling against the rocks.

People attempt to pull the ice cream van out of the seaPeople attempt to pull the ice cream van out of the sea (Image: SWNS/Abi Fisk)

Images were captured of the incident at around 4pm by holidaymaker Abi Fisk, who runs Vintage Mary store in Stroud.

She said she witnessed a 4x4 with a winch close by trying "really hard to pull it free" when it was first swept into the ocean.

Surfers carried on enjoying the waves anyway!Surfers carried on enjoying the waves anyway! (Image: SWNS/Abi Fisk)

Abi explained how 'lots of surfers' and other people on the beach attempted to help.

She said: "They managed to pull it a fair way up the beach while still surrounded by the in coming waves, before it got stuck on rocks."

The ice cream van got stuck in the sandThe ice cream van got stuck in the sand (Image: SWNS/Abi Fisk)

Though as the tide was coming in 'very quickly' - the group were forced to abandon the van, and shortly afterwards the coast guards arrived.

People tried to helpPeople tried to help (Image: SWNS/Abi Fisk)

Abi, of Stroud, Glos., added: "The coastguards will keep watch over ice-cream van until the tide goes out and a local salvage team that are on standby can remove the ice-cream van from the beach."