Paralympic athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson is expecting her first child, it emerged on Saturday.

The wheelchair-bound four times Olympic Gold medallist has revealed she is expecting a child in February next year.

Mrs Grey-Thompson, from Redcar, Teesside, said the news was ''very exciting''.

''I have had many special days, but this is very exciting,'' she said.

''Having a baby is going to be a very different experience for me,'' she told the Mirror newspaper.

Mrs Grey-Thompson captured the hearts of the nation when she picked up four gold medals in Sydney last year.

During her 13-year career the 31-year-old has won a stack of medals and holds the British wheelchair 5,000-metre record.

Born with spina bifida, she battled to become one of Britain's most successful athletes and was voted third in last year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

She was awarded an OBE in last year's New Year's Honours List.