Cambridge University’s vice-chancellor has thrown his weight behind the campaign to stay in Europe.

Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, the son of Polish refugees who was brought up in Wales, warned of the risk to thousands of students studying in Europe if links were severed.

He said that 200,000 UK students currently studied in Europe underr the Erasmus programme - and that those who had been on it were 50 per cent more likely to avoid long-term unemployment.

In addition, he added that 60 per cent of scientific research emanating from the UK had been produced with the help of a European co-author to the research.

Collaboration between European nations had also produced major health - saving initiatives in the treatment of diseases like Ebola - which he doubted whether the UK could have managed on its own.