Bogus Ronald McDonald stuns diners

Diners at a McDonald's in southern Norway were stunned when a man dressed as the US fast food chain's mascot Ronald McDonald launched into a diatribe criticising its policies and food.

The man - a performance artist - was arrested by police summoned by staff at the restaurant in the southern town of Kristiansand when he refused to leave and continued his tirade against the fast food chain, the newspaper Dagbladet reports.

The stunt was organised by a troupe of alternative artists in town for a rock concert as what they described as "sort of a demonstration against McDonald's," the report said.

The imposter was identified by the Norwegian news agency NTB as Ole Bernt. He was likely to be fined by police for causing a disturbance, the Dagbladet said.

Younger restaurant patrons were shocked to see him dragged away by police, it said.