Ukip leader Henry Bolton has confirmed he has split from his wife and has a new relationship with a model less than half his age who lives in Maidstone.

Mr Bolton, 54, wrote to supporters to warn them to expect media coverage of a "change in my relationship status".

His new partner is Ukip member Jo Marney, 25, who describes herself in her Twitter profile as a "presenter, music journalist, model, actor, Brexiteer".

Mr Bolton, who is based in Folkestone, succeeded former leader Paul Nuttall last year in a surprise victory.

He hit the headlines in May 2016 when he helped wife Tatiana, 42, when she went into labour on a train and gave birth to their second daughter at London's St Pancras Station.

In a message to party members, he wrote: “In recent weeks, I’ve had a change in my relationship status.

"If you follow me on social media – and hopefully you all do – you will have already seen that recently I have spent time with somebody who has become increasingly important to me. This isn’t something that I’ve hidden."

Mr Bolton said members should “be confident that it in no way distracts me or our party from the vital mission we have ahead of us".

He added: "Whilst I fully accept that as a national political figure I can expect to be the subject of media attention, I also believe we’re all entitled to a certain degree of privacy. As such, I’ll be making no further comment on the matter."

Mr Bolton said he would like to stand as the party’s candidate in the Folkestone and Hythe constituency at the next election.

He was the party’s candidate in the police and crime commissioner election in Kent.