The jingle of the ice cream van voted Britons’ top nostalgic summer sound

Britons have voted the jingle of an ice cream van as the country's most nostalgic sound of summer, according to a new survey. The poll highlights how a handful of familiar noises and experiences continue to evoke fond childhood memories of the season for adults across the UK, even as many other cultural touchstones of summer change over time.

The survey asked respondents to rank sounds and experiences most closely associated with British summers, with the ice cream van's chime emerging as the clear favourite. Other entries likely included classic seaside and garden sounds, such as birdsong, the buzz of insects or the crack of a barbecue, reflecting the simple, sensory pleasures many associate with the season.