Cambridge University professor of Lego proposed

The Lego Foundation is providing the funding for the new post at Cambridge University

A professor of Lego could soon be in post at Cambridge University.

The Lego Foundation has provided the university with £2.5m to fund a Lego Professorship of Play in Education, Development and Learning.

It has also provided £1.5m to support a play research centre in the education faculty, which will be led by the Lego professor.

Last year, Cambridge University advertised for a doctor of chocolate to study how and why the substance melts.

The Lego professorship post would be "open to all those whose work falls within the general field of the title of the office", the university said.

The successful candidate will lead the work of the Research Centre on Play in Education, Development and Learning (PEDaL), which studies the role of play in young children's learning and development.

The Lego Foundation was created to "build a future where learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, life-long learners".