Richard Dawkins, the eminent biology professor and outspoken atheist, has had a stroke and returned home, cancelling a tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The 74-year-old announced his "minor stroke" which occured last Saturday in the UK but said he was already at home recuperating. 

Christians on Twitter are insisting they will pray for the author of The God Delusion, much to the irritation of Dawkins' atheist followers.

However others were less than pleased with this response.

The Oxford professor turned religious critic suffered a "minor stroke" on Saturday.

"On Saturday night Richard suffered a minor stroke, however he is expected in time to make a full or near full recovery," said a statement from his management company.

"He is already at home recuperating.

"This unfortunately means Richard will be unable to make his planned Australian and New Zealand tour.

"He is very disappointed that he is unable to do so but looks forward to renewing his plans in the not too distant future."

Dawkins, a steadfast critic of religion, came to the Church of England's defence when an advert for prayer was banned from UK cinemas. 

Despite his stroke, Dawkins was well enough to return to his 1.36 million Twitter followers yesterday and plugged a book called "God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction" for which he has written a foreward.