will.i.am used a private helicopter from London to Oxford[Photo/Agencies]

will.i.am travelled on a private helicopter to give a talk at Oxford University about climate change.

The Black Eyed Peas star tweeted pictures of his "hip.hop.copter" when he touched down in the city.

He then spent just an hour with leading climate expert Myles Allen before jetting to Taunton to carry the Olympic torch.

His 286-mile round trip from London used 71.5 gallons of fuel and pumped three-quarters of a tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere, the same as the average UK resident produces in a month, according to the Daily Star.

The visit was set up by computer firm Intel, where 'The Voice' mentor works as a "director of creative innovation".

The 37-year-old said in his speech: "Climate change should be the thing that we are all worried and concerned about as humans on this planet, how we affect the planet, our consumption, and how we treat the place that we live in."

Physics professor Myles said of his choice of transport: "The irony didn't escape everybody. But he's committed to the issues and he's written songs about it.

"A better understanding of the problems is probably more important than whether Will flies a helicopter from London to Oxford."