A 76-YEAR-OLD ice-cream man exposed himself to a 13-year-old girl as she queued for her cornet with her mother and her aunt, a court was told.

Fred Watson, of George Street, Clitheroe, had worked as a summer salesman for three years, despite having previous convictions of a sexual nature, Blackburn magistrates were told.

And after he pleaded guilty to indecent exposure, the girl's mother said she found it "disturbing" that Watson had been able to get a job dealing extensively with children.

A spokeswoman for the NSPCC said: "Unfortunately it would be impossible to vet every person that children come into contact with. Current vetting procedures therefore only cover specific occupations that bring people into regular unsupervised contact with youngsters."

Anthony Swales of the family firm involved, E and P Swales icecream manufacturers, of Bawdlands, Clitheroe, knew nothing of the court case when contacted by the Evening Telegraph last night.

He said: "I am absolutely shocked by this. Well, he won't be working for us anymore.

"Fred Watson was employed as an icecream van driver just a handful of times over the last two summers. We try to vet people, but how are we supposed to do it?"

Watson was remanded on bail for a pre-sentence report. He was placed on the sex offender register but the period will be determined by the eventual sentence.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said the two sisters were out with their children on Sunday May 16.

The women ordered four cones from Watson, near the Spread Eagle at Sawley. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, which was not tucked in, and trousers.

"As he reached up they saw, from no more than two meters away, that his shirt rose up and his genitals were fully exposed," said Mr Harrison.

The 13-year-old had seen the same as her mother but fortunately the younger child had not seen anything, the court was told.

Mr Harrison said that as they drove off to find a phone box, the women saw Watson sitting on the counter of his ice-cream van eating an ice-cream and with his other hand down his trousers.

Elizabeth Parker, defending, said that in the three years Watson had worked for Swales, there had been no problems with his behaviour.

"He is very, very sorry and wishes he could turn the clock back," said Mrs Parker. "He is happily married, he has an elderly mother and a son in the Marines and he is deeply ashamed."