2:28pm UK, Thursday November 18, 2004

It's a nutritionist's worst nightmare - a whopping 1,420-calorie burger on sale for less than £3.

The Monster Thickburger has been branded the world's deadliest burger.

180 Hardee's Monster Thickburger

Mummy, I'm scared

It consists of two 5oz slabs of beef, four strips of bacon, three cheese slices and a huge dollop of mayonnaise.

This belly-busting creation has more than twice the calories of a Big Mac.

With 107 grams of fat, it exceeds the Department of Health's recommended daily limit by a whopping 37 grams.

Loaded with unsaturated fat, eating the burger could reduce blood flow and lead to heart disease.

Yet the gargantuan snack launched by American fast food chain Hardee's costs less than £3.

For an extra £1 you can add fries and a soft drink - pushing the calorie count even higher.

Its launch comes as rival chains like McDonald's and Burger King are broadening their menus to offer low-calorie alternatives, such as salads.

America's Centre for Science in the Public Interest has described the Monster Thickburger as "food porn".

Executive director Michael Jacobson said: "Hardee's seems not only oblivious to America's obesity epidemic, but also to the trend toward healthier fast food."