An East Lancashire woman who suffers from restrictive growth has blasted David Cameron for his 'dwarf' jibe.

The Prime Minister faced a backlash after cracking a joke to journalists comparing Commons Speaker John Bercow to one of the Seven Dwarfs.

Gillian, 34, from Rawtenstall, who has Achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder and one of the common causes of dwarfism, said the comments were 'absolutely atrocious'.

She added: "The controversy and distress that it caused Bercow is the distress that we feel on a daily basis and it is not something that people should crack jokes about.

"Incidents like this are frustrating for people with restrictive growth because unlike other minorities in society we do not seem to be protected from this slander and politicians think it is perfectly acceptable to make jokes about us.

"They would never dream of making a racist joke and it is unfair to think that it is fine to poke fun at people with restrictive growth."

In a dig at Mr Bercow - believed to be 5ft 6in tall - Mr Cameron said health minister Simon Burns had asked his driver to reverse into the Speaker's car.

When Mr Bercow said he was 'not happy' about the incident, Mr Cameron quipped to journalists at a Westminster lunch yesterday, Mr Burns retorted: "So which one are you?".

Mr Cameron's spokewoman said he had made 'light-hearted comments not intended to cause offence'.

But John Connerty, Walking with Giants Foundation co-founder and charity secretary, launched a fierce condemnation of the Prime Minister.

He said: "Once again we have an influential figure, if not the most influential person in the country, making distasteful references about a person's lack of height."