Nestl is freezing out one of Britain's most famous ice-cream names, Lyons Maid.

A York company spokesman said the name, along with its dancing children logo, does not fit the adult image of best-selling modern products such as Kit Kat ice-cream and will be phased out.

Nestl bought the Lyons Maid brand several years ago, but spokesman Paul Kirkwood said: "Research has shown that Lyons Maid has become inseparably linked in the public's mind with children's products, despite the fact that the Nestl ice-cream range encompasses a large and growing proportion of adult products.

"Nestl has developed products specifically with adults in mind, but because of the Lyons Maid logo consumers feel they are not relevant to them."

But Nestl promises the dancing children logo will still be used to publicise children's products on the freezers in shops.The change comes as the company brings out a new novel ice-cream and ice- lolly for the summer:

Mega Truffle, priced at £1 and the result of two years of research and development, is the first truffle ice-cream on a stick - and is being promoted by York marketing men as "innocent on the outside, but wicked on the inside."

Cracker, inspired by the Buzz Lightyear character in Disney's Toy Story, is made of orange and cherry water ice, but contains a popping candy centre that crackles in your mouth.

The ice-creams are made at a factory in Telford, but promoted by Nestl in York.

The company is chasing increased ice-cream sales in a UK market which has grown by 18 per cent over the last five years and is now worth £920 million a year, as much as tea sales.

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