Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader and Northern Ireland's first minister Arlene Foster has announced she will resign after losing backing from her party.

Her statement comes less than 24 hours after the first minister received a letter of no-confidence signed by 75 percent of the DUP's Northern Ireland Assembly members.

In December 2015, Foster became the first woman and youngest person to lead Northern Ireland and the DUP. 

The 50-year-old politician said it has been "the privilege of my life" to have served Northern Ireland's people.