Medway MP and sports minister Tracey Crouch is pregnant.

The Conservative member for Chatham and Aylesford, who was promoted to the ministerial role after David Cameron’s general election win, is expecting a baby next year.

It is not known at this stage if Miss Crouch is having a boy or a girl, but she will take maternity leave at the beginning of the new year.

Miss Crouch, who is 40, announced the news earlier today and said her baby is due in February.

Speaking exclusively to KentOnline's sister paper the Medway Messenger, Miss Crouch said: “My maternity leave starts end of January for a few months, although I expect to fulfil the occasional constituency engagement and work from home when I can.

“Am thrilled, excited and completely petrified all at the same time.”

The announcement means she will become the first ever Conservative minister to take maternity leave.

The first British MP ever to take maternity leave was Labour's Yvette Cooper, who took time off after the birth of her second child.

She was a health minister at the time.

Miss Crouch quickly made an impact soon after her appointment as sports minister in May, urging reform of FIFA and more.