A VINTAGE 1950s milk float is set to hit the streets of Basildon as a businessman relaunches his dairy firm.

After years of trials and tribulations, Paul Luke, 46, previously sold his business Ecofresh Dairy following challenges caused by the Covid pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

He was devastated to give the business up but is now celebrating his plan to relaunch next month and continue delivering milk in his 1959 electric milk float.

He said: “I was having people make comments about the products we did three or four years ago, and it got to the point where I sold the last I had to another dairy business, which was 14,000 empty pint bottles.

“We were doing 5,000 to 6,000 pints of milk at the height of things. I was working 150-hour weeks making loads to pay people 500 quid a week.

“We had enjoyed delivering to people, they were like friends. There were times when we would have the float emblazoned with Christmas lights and we tried to get it covered in lights to see how much we could get away with.

“I would be dressed as Santa, delivering milk from a milk van covered in lights.”

Alongside milk, he delivers fruit juices, butter and eggs.

Paul will bring back the business on September 2 offering a Monday and Thursday delivery service across Basildon, Billericay and Thurrock.

As well as delivering milk, Paul has also claimed to have prevented a number of crimes and helped people in need while on his early-morning milk runs in the dark.

He added: “I have saved cars from getting stolen before, helped old dearies off the floor and saved lives “ The Ecofresh deliveries will be starting up again on September 2, though the retro 1959 float won’t be able to handle the full route and he will use a van Paul said: “The float won’t hit them all, it has no suspension to do parts of Basildon and Thurrock. It is really exciting, though.”

Prior to giving up the business at the start of last year, he had operated Ecofresh for five years.