Theresa May will visit Donald Trump in the spring, Downing Street has confirmed, after she sent her two closest allies on a secret trip to meet the President-elect's advisers.

The secret mission reportedly took place after Mr Trump triggered a rift with Downing Street by suggesting Nigel Farage should be Britain’s ambassador to the United States.

Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy, the Prime Minister’s joint chiefs of staff, are understood to have travelled to New York and Washington in the middle of last month.