PRIME Minister David Cameron wolfed down Rossi ice cream as he was invited to open Southend Airport’s new terminal.

James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, used the sweet treat to tempt the Tory leader to Southend in celebration of the airport’s success yesterday.

Mr Cameron is yet to confirm the seaside visit, but he finished a tub of vanilla at a meeting with backbench colleagues around the Downing Street cabinet table.

Mr Duddridge, who also left 11 tubs of lemon sorbet and chocolate icecream from the Southend firm for Mr Cameron’s wife and their three children, said: “He was really pleased.

“He enjoyed it and thoroughly finished it and, if it wasn’t for being dragged off for another meeting with ministers, he would have tucked into another.”

The delivery to Downing Street followed a dispatch of tubs by Rossi Bear, mascot of the Lucy Road-based company, who arrived at Mr Duddridge’s Thorpe Bay home yesterday morning with a selection, including Christmas special icecream, which is white chocolate and marshmallow, and lemon sorbet.

Mr Duddridge drove the plug-in freezer to Number 10, where he was taking part in a meeting of the 1922 Committee, which helps keep the Prime Minister in touch with backbench Conservatives.

Mr Cameron supplied quiche, new potatoes and fruit juice for the meeting – but Mr Duddridge trumped him by handing out mini-tubs to everyone present.

The charmoffensive came just one day after Mr Duddridge invited Mr Cameron to Southend for an “Essexstyle”

celebration of the airport’s success at New Year during Prime Minister’s Question Time.

Mr Duddridge promised to treat the PM’s family to “a Rossi” on the seafront if he came, but then went one step further by taking the icecream straight to the top.

He said: “He was amazed I brought it so soon after my comments during Prime Minister’s Question Time.”

Colin Gray, director of Rossi Ice Cream, said: “We were delighted to hear the Prime Minister enjoyed Rossi Ice Cream and understand he was particularly partial to the vanilla flavour.

“We are proud that Rossi ice cream is recognised in the corridors of power having been part of the City of Culture bid earlier in the year.

“As Rossi ice cream is synonymous with the town of Southend, we are always pleased to assist our local MPs in continuing to raise the profile of the town and the county of Essex.”