Weetabix claims to have created "the holy grail" of kids' breakfast time - a chocolate cereal that is healthy enough to be advertised to children.

Chocolate Weetabix is claimed to have all the wholegrain goodness of regular Weetabix with just half the sugar of the average chocolate-flavoured breakfast cereal.

Rolling out to retailers on 12 July, the Weetabix biscuits contain chocolate chips and cocoa powder inside the wheat.

According to the FSA's Nutrient Profiling Model, the new line has a rating of -2, meaning it can legally be advertised on TV to children, and Chocolate Weetabix will be supported by a £3m national TV campaign from September.

Packaging highlights a high level of fibre and low level of salt. The cereal is fortified with vitamins and iron and free from artificial colours.

Weetabix said the NPD had come in response to consumer research indicating that parents found breakfast times a "battleground" as they tried to encourage their children to eat something healthy.

"A healthier cereal that meets the requirements of mums and children is the holy grail of breakfast time," said Sally Abbott, marketing director at the Weetabix Food Company.

"Keeping the whole family happy while also offering healthier choices is no easy feat and the introduction of Chocolate Weetabix is the answer many stressed mums have been searching for years to find."

The launch comes six months after Weetabix's rival Kellogg's launched Krave, an indulgent, chocolate-filled cereal aimed at young adults.