ALDO Nardini, the father of award-winning Scots actress Daniela Nardini has died. He was 85.

He and his brother Peter were once known as one of the ice cream kings of Scotland while running the famous Nardini ice cream empire, including the famed art deco Largs seaside cafe.

Aldo also leaves wife Sandra, with whom he celebrated 50 years of marriage four years ago and two sons Nicky and Aldo Junior.

The Nardini family first started making ice cream in Scotland in 1890 when they opened a shop in Paisley.

Moving to the esplanade in Largs in 1935, the Nardini name was synonymous with summers on the west coast for holidaying Glaswegians and other visitors.

A funeral service is due to take place on Saturday at St Mary's Star of the Sea Church in Largs.

In 2001, Aldo and Peter who worked together in the business for 40 years, were locked in a legal battle after Aldo was removed from the board of the company.

Aldo went on to set up his own ice-cream parlours, the first being Il Caffe Casa which opened in Edinburgh and was soon followed by another in Glasgow.

Daniela Nardini, the Bafta-winning This Life star appeared with her father in court to win the right to use the family name on ice-cream sold in Il Caffe Casa.

Meanwhile the famous Largs cafe closed in 2004 and lay empty for four years after falling into receivership.

But in 2008 it was rescued and reopened by the Italgelat Consortium, who spent £2 million refurbishing the 220-seat cafe, which was once the focal point of the Ayrshire town and even had an orchestra and dance floor.

Aldo's sons Nicky and Aldo Junior once sold their version of the family ice cream at the Il Caffe Casa in the St Enoch Centre.

Aldo's brother Peter passed away aged 78 in June last year.