The British Prime Minister says a no-deal Brexit "wouldn't be the end of the world".

However, Theresa May has acknowledged that leaving the European Union without a deal "wouldn't be a walk in the park".

Mrs May was speaking as she began her first trip to Africa as British PM, where she's set to visit South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.

She's beginning the trip in Cape Town.

In comments to reporters as she travelled to the South African capital and quoted by The Guardian, Mrs May said: “Look at what the director general of the World Trade Organisation has said. He has said about the no-deal situation that it will not be a walk in the park, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

“What the government is doing is putting in place the preparation such that if we are in that situation, we can make a success of it - just as we can make a success of a good deal.”

Her comments reference those made by WTO chief Roberto Azevedo last week. 

He told BBC a hard Brexit "would not be the end of the world... but it's not going to be a walk in the park".

Mrs May's statement marks a contrast to a stark warning issued by one of her senior cabinet ministers.

British Chancellor Philip Hammond has insisted the British government is 'confident' in securing a good deal 'for both sides'.

In a recent letter to a House of Commons committee outlining the potential consequences of a no-deal situation, he argued: "It is expected that the economic and fiscal impacts of the White Paper model will be substantially better than no deal, protecting jobs and livelihoods and supporting both the UK and EU’s commitments to no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland."

Negotiations between the UK and EU have intensified in recent weeks as the two sides work to reach an agreement ahead of a looming October deadline - although it's been suggested the deadline could slip to November if necessary.