AN OXFORD student has been criticised for 'using disability as a punchline' after dressing up as Stephen Hawking for a college party. 

The Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) student reportedly mimicked the renowned professor at a 'dress as your degree' themed party on Saturday. 

According to the Cherwell Newspaper, the man's costume consisted of an office chair with wheels.

The 76-year-old Oxford-born physicist was paralysed from a slow progressing form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The President of the college's JCR, Lana Purcell, said she was 'angry and disappointed that this has happened.'

A spokesperson for LMH said the college's Dean will be speaking to the student to 'ask him to reflect on his behaviour.' 

Student disability groups have added to the criticism of the costume. 

In a joint statement the chair of the Oxford SU Students Disability Community Miranda Reilly, and College Disability Rep Officer, Josie Paton, said: “While it is not impossible to dress respectfully as Stephen Hawking, as a world-renowned physicist, this seems to have not been the case or intention.

“Mobility aids are an important tool in many disabled people’s daily lives, and so it is disrespectful for them to be parodied in this way.

“Using disability as a punchline is unacceptable and this proves we need wider awareness of disability issues at this university.”

Last year a LMH student was asked to leave a 'horror movie' themed party after coming dressed as Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer who has faced multiple allegations of sexual assault.