Stephen Hawking "very ill" in hospital

Stephen Hawking is seriously ill and has been rushed to hospital, a Cambridge University spokesman has confirmed.

The British scientist and TV personality, who wrote A Brief History Of Time, is Lucasian professor of mathematics at the institution.

According to AFP, the spokesman said "Professor Hawking is very ill", adding that he was taken to hospital in the city by ambulance.

Hawking, 67, suffers from motor neurone disease and is wheelchair bound and communicates through a voice synthesiser. He has played himself in a number of TV shows, including Red Dwarf, The Simpsons and Futurama.