A brief history of the time Stephen Hawking went to a sex club: University says physicist visited California swingers' club with friends

He may spend his working days contemplating the deepest mysteries of the universe, despite having been robbed of almost all physical movement by the cruelties of motor neurone disease.

But it seems the world-famous British physicist Stephen Hawking also has an interest in more earthier matters.

Cambridge university today admitted the 70-year-old has visited a swingers’ sex club in California.

Frequent visitor: Stephen Hawking has reportedly been a visitor to a sex club in California for five years

However, they denied claims that he was a regular.

The story emerged last week when a U.S. website reported that Professor Hawking dropped in at the Freedom Acres club in Devore, where he is said to have arrived with an entourage of nurses and assistants before paying for young, naked dancers to perform privately for him.

Radaronline claimed that Professor Hawking had visited the club in the past five years.

A source told the website: ‘I have seen Steven Hawking at the club more than a handful of times.’

But today a Cambridge University spokesman said: ‘It is not true that Professor Hawking is a “regular” visitor to the club in question.

‘This report is greatly exaggerated. He visited once a few years ago with friends while on a visit to California.’

However, it is not the first time the professor has been linked to a risque establishment.

He has previously been photographed enjoying the attentions of young ladies in London’s Stringfellows club.

Nightspot: Professor Hawking is said to arrive the Freedom Acres sex club (pictured) in Devore, California, with an entourage of nurses and assistants

Friends: Professor Hawking and Peter Stringfellow pose for a photo in Stringfellows nightclub

A popular customer, he happily posed for pictures with the club’s dancers.

Owner Peter Stringfellow even declares himself a fan of the professor.

He said: ‘I am often asked during interviews of all the people I have met, who I am most impressed with.

‘Of all the film stars I have met, the majority are really nice people, rock stars are a lot of fun and good company, some of the richest men in the world can be surprisingly funny, but when all is said and done Professor Hawking is The Man.

‘Easily one of the most intelligent men in the world with one of the finest brains and on top of that so brave he takes my breath away - but he’s very human with it.

‘I remember asking him if he’d like to have a conversation with me about the universe or if he’d just like to watch the girls. The answer was quite simply, ‘The girls.’

Professor Hawking married Jane Wilde in 1965 and they went on to have two sons and a daughter.