STUDENTS from Reading have been punished after they went on an ethnic minorities' fancy dress themed night out.

A group from the Agricultural Society at the University of Reading hosted an 'Agrics on Holiday' event and have been fined for their actions.

Pictures posted to social media revealed that costumes included students painting their faces black, wearing turbans and carrying fake guns.

Students expressed their outrage at the social night out and urged university bosses to take serious action.

University spokeswoman confirmed the society have been "disaffiliated" from the students' union, meaning they will not receive any support for the next three years.

She said: "The University sets tough rules and high expectations for student behaviour. We have identified, investigated and interviewed the individuals involved.

"We have seriously reprimanded them and taken appropriate disciplinary action short of suspension from the institution, including fines for both individuals and the society."

President of the students' union, Oli Ratcliffe, echoed the university's thoughts and added: "But simply condemning this behaviour and disciplining those responsible for it is not enough.

"As a students' union, we include and represent students from all backgrounds and strongly believe that we should celebrate diversity and multi-culturalism.

"This is why we must challenge prejudice and racism of this kind.

"If students anywhere in the UK think that blacking up is acceptable in 2015, then there is more to be done.

"That's why RUSU, led by our African-Caribbean Society, is holding a discussion titled, ‘I am not a costume’ this Friday.

"We will be inviting the social secretaries from all of our societies, as well as an open invitation to all of our members – every student at University of Reading. I have personally written to Councillor Sophia James who contacted me about the situation to invite her to attend and also extend this invitation to members of the public."

Cllr James weighed in on the debate after pictures of the night out begun to spread through social media and condoned the decision personally and on behalf of her fellow councillors.

She said in a letter to Oli Ratcliffe: "Their actions amount to racism, xenophobia and religious hatred and will undoubtedly have caused severe offence to local residents."

Scores of students took to social media to voice their “disgust” over the event with many using the Twitter hashtag #MyCultureIsNotACostume.

Flavia Perusini posted on Reading University Freshers 2015/16 Facebook page: “Apparently last night the Agriculture Society was allowed to organize an “ethnic minorities social” where people dressed up as Muslims, used face paint to retouch their skin colour and I'm going to refrain from continuing the list of horrific costumes. Not only is this incredibly disrespectful but makes me feel ashamed of going to university where such things are being allowed.

"I personally don't know how RUSU is letting these things happen but I would like for them to see how this not only puts under the spotlight the ignorance of some people attending this university but also offends a great number of students.”

Prospective students also took to social media to Tweet the university and say they were now considering not going to the university next year and many believed that the students involved in this social should be expelled.

The event was on Monday, November 16 and pictures of the students were taken by a photographer at the Entourage Project, but the club has now deleted the pictures which students were calling offensive from their website and Facebook page