He said: “This collection means everything to me, it is my life's work. Thousands and thousands of hours have been spent assembling this collection and taking pride to display it extremely nicely. I'm very proud to be a part of the McDonald's family.”

Mr Fountaine started working on the grill at McDonald's in 1968 - the same month the Big Mac was introduced - when he was 15.

He started collecting items from the fast food chain one year later, after he was given a lapel pin to celebrate his first year of service.

But it's not just the collection in which Mr Fountaine takes pride. His restaurant in Allentown, Pennsylvania, boasts a cherry wood fireplace and chandeliers. He said: “People say it's the most beautiful McDonald's restaurant they have ever seen. I wanted to make it first class all the way and at lunch time it's always full. I installed a musical playground for children, of which there are less than ten in the world. I wanted to make it my trophy restaurant.”

In 1986, Mr Fountaine was presented with the Ronald McDonald award for his local community service work. He hopes to turn his collection into a museum to help raise money for Ronald McDonald charities, to help children with cancer around the world.

According to dailymail.co.uk