Filmmaker Danny Boyle has asked for the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony to be delayed until sunset.

But the plea from the Slumdog Millionaire director, who is masterminding the gala event, has sparked fears it could cause transport chaos.

Mr Boyle wants darkness to have fallen on the Olympic Park so the planned fireworks display can be seen to best effect.

He says his plans, which he describes as “epic and intimate”, would be diluted by daylight.

But his proposals would require delaying the start of the ceremony from 7.30pm until just before 9pm.

And that would leave spectators unable to begin their journeys home until around 1am — just half and hour before the last Tube is due to leave Stratford station.

Transport for London have not ruled out laying on later trains for the July 27 opening should the organisers agree to Mr Boyle’s request.

But thousands of brochures advertising the earlier start would have to be pulped and the Olympic countdown clock would have to be adjusted.