Daley Thompson banned from promoting Little Chef's Olympic Breakfast

But when organisers of the 2012 London Games objected to a proposed advertisement for the giant feast, they were not worried about the nation's health.

Instead, they were more concerned about protecting the investment of fast-food chain McDonald's - sponsors of the capital's sporting showpiece.

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The extraordinary twist came when Little Chef contacted London 2012 to discuss using double Olympic gold medal winner Daley Thompson to plug their breakfast on its 20th anniversary.

Event bosses said the former decathlete's voice could only be used for the radio advert next year if his identity was kept secret.

And they suggested that if the roadside diner chain really wanted to help the Olympic cause they could drop the Olympic Breakfast name altogether.

London 2012 can lay down the condition because it is backed by two recent acts of Parliament outlawing the use of the Games and its symbols without permission.

Little Chef marketing man Richard Hillgrove, who contacted London 2012, said: "We were very surprised by their stance. Little Chef has always been able to use the Olympic name. To be told it would be better if we dropped it is very odd.

"We wanted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Olympic Breakfast and thought of Daley because he is known to be a big fan of it himself.

"It's just plain weird to say he can do the advert as long as no one knows he's doing it. And it's a shame the London 2012 games can't support British firms more."

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All Little Chef's 196 diners serve the Olympic Breakfast, which gets its name because it takes an Olympian effort to finish it. Apart from Daley - who won gold at the 1980 Moscow Games and in Los Angeles four years later - well-known fans include Prince Harry, model Lisa B and actor Robson Green.

For £6.99, those willing to take it on get two rashers of crisp back bacon, a British outdoor-reared pork sausage, two griddled eggs, whole cup mushrooms, crispy saute potatoes, fresh griddled tomato, Heinz baked beans and toasted or fried extra-thick bloomer bread.

The chain had considered Olympic greats such as Kelly Holmes or Colin Jackson before offering Daley £30,000 for the voice work. But their plan has fallen foul of the London Olympics Act 2005, which followed a 1995 Act giving the British Olympics Association power to stop 'ambush marketing'.

The new Act makes it a criminal offence, punishable by a £20,000 fine, to advertise using the Olympics without permission. Police can seize goods such as advertising material and charge for their time.

Advertisers risk prosecution and being sued if they use words such as 'summer', 'games' and '2012'.

However, a loophole means Little Chef can use the Olympic Breakfast brand as it was in use before the first Act came into effect. But using an Olympian for advertising it is banned.

The chain is reconsidering its options after receiving a letter from London 2012 legal manager Alex Kelham last week. She told Little Chef: "If the voice is introduced as an Olympian, or is distinctive enough to be recognisable as such, The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games is likely to object to this."

She added: "The International Olympic Committee has appointed McDonald's as a worldwide partner. McDonald's has exclusive rights to associate its brand with the Olympic Games to the exclusion of competitors."

London 2012 said: "We need to raise £2billion to make the Olympic Games the best ever. This money is all privately raised by selling sponsorship, tickets and official merchandise.

"The value of the London 2012 brand, the Olympic symbol and the right to associate with the Games is, therefore, crucial to our funding. We have to protect our sponsors' interests. We have asked Little Chef to reconsider using Olympic terminology."