Lolly combines absinthe and Holy water

The makers of controversial breast milk ice cream have come up with a new 'bad taste' flavour - a mixture of Holy water and absinthe.

The gun-shaped Vice Lolly is made up of one part 80% alcohol absinthe and three parts Holy water from Lourdes.

The green lollipop costs a staggering £18.58 and is on sale at The Icecreamists shop in London's Covent Garden.

The price is after the year 1858 - the year when spring water from Lourdes was declared Holy by the Catholic church after a 14-year-old girl saw the Virgin Mary in a vision there.

Absinthe is so strong that it was blamed for Van Gogh cutting off his own ear. It was banned in Britain by the Victorians and did not go back on sale until 1998.

Icecreamists owner Matt O'Connor, 45, hit the headlines last year when he began selling ice cream made from breast milk and he hopes the Vice Lolly will be equally controversial.

"Being born into a Catholic family I wanted to make a statement about religion," said Mr O'Connor.

"I was looking at doing something that was a traditional children's ice lolly, but I turned this idea on its head. I went from something quite innocent to the most radically provocative concept possible.

"I have a source in France that bought the holy water for me in plastic bottles. After it was shipped over I spent a lot of time tasting it with absinthe and sugar to get the taste and balance just right.

"It tastes alcoholic with a touch of sweetness. After about three of these the average drinker would certainly be feeling the effects."