London, May 10 A secret battalion of Gurkhas has been deployed to guard Britain's Olympic stadium from any terrorist attack.

The decorated veterans, many of them heroes of the Falklands War, patrol the perimeter of the 9.3 billion pounds site in east London day and night. But, scandalously, according to their better-paid colleagues, profiteering bosses who pay barely the capital's recommended minimum wage are exploiting them.

Their daily shifts last 12 hours, which is often spent well away from toilets and shelter, The Daily Express reports.

The former British Army men, some of whom are in their 50s, have been so desperate to keep dry from heavy rain that in one part of the site, they have assembled a makeshift shelter under a small tree.

Yet despite their conditions, they never fail to smile politely at passers-by. One security colleague said: "Only in Britain does this happen. Everywhere else in the world, they get paid way more for the expertise they have. They're being taken advantage of."

About 100 unarmed Gurkhas work on the site for Group 4 Securicor, Britain's biggest private security firm, and Senator Security Services.

All ex-British military personnel, their distinguished service records include deployments in Borneo, the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Together with dogs trained to sniff out explosives, they scout the public footpaths and waterways that surround the huge construction site.

One man who works closely with them said: "There's no way anyone's going to mess with those guys."

Like other site workers, Gurkhas are barred from talking to journalists, but last week they told passers-by they were proud to continue serving Britain by protecting its Olympic dream. (ANI)