The iconic Fab, first sold in 1967 and based on the Thunderbirds TV series, was named the nation's favourite in a poll of 5,000 people as temperatures reached a sweltering 31.8C.

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The strawberry Mivvi was voted second best and Milk Chocolate Magnum came third.

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Retro classics Mini Milk, Twister, Funny Foot and Zoom also made it into the top 10 in the poll carried out by www.OnePoll.com.

A spokesman for Fab, which is made by R&R Ice Cream in Cross Gates, Leeds, said: "We know the iconic three-in-one fun is the biggest selling but to hear the British public vote us their favourite is hundreds and thousands times better."

To mark the beginning of a scorching summer, Fab has also created a giant homage to its classic lolly.

It took ice sculptor Duncan Hamilton 10 days to create the giant treat measuring 3m high and weighing 850kg - the same as 13,000 standard-sized Fabs.

R&R expects to sell more than 80million icey treats this year and are anticipating sales will reach an all-time high over the coming months.

Fab factfile
Fans in Britain eat more than 80 million Fabs a year

David Bowie sung the Fab theme tune in the 1970s and appeared on the pack

The 1990s saw the "Smashie and Nicey" characters advertise the Fab lolly

Fab lollies contain 79 calories