Sarah Smith is to move from her role as presenter of More4 News to become Channel 4 News' Washington correspondent.

Smith, who has presented More4 News since it launched last October, will start her new role early next year and replaces Jonathan Rugman, who is now the channel's diplomatic correspondent.

Smith said: "Reporting from Washington has been a long held ambition and I am thrilled to be going to the US at such an exciting time. I will be truly sorry to leave the More4 newsroom. Being part of a team that has established a brand new programme on an entirely new channel has been a proud achievement."

Daughter of late Labour party leader John Smith, Smith was born and raised in Scotland, and began her career in 1989 at BBC Scotland. After a stint at BBC Northern Ireland, in 1991 she moved to London, and worked as a BBC producer before moving to ITN.

After two years as a reporter on 5 News, she joined Channel 4 News in 1998, as Scotland correspondent.