ICE cream maker Rossi is hoping to scoop another award at a national ice cream competition.

The company, as famous in Southend as the pier, has entered four categories and is placing its hopes on its kiwi sorbet, artisan vanilla, dairy artisan and strawberry flavours to be winners.

Last year Rossi gained a gold award for its lemon sorbet from the Ice Cream Alliance, the national association of the ice cream industry.

As part of the prize the team of six makers prepared the special sorbet for the Ice Cream Alliance president’s ball and annual dinner in Yorkshire this week.

Rossi’s general manager, Colin Gray, said: “We are hopeful of winning more awards.

“We sent our samples off and there will be three days of judging and tasting.”