Jamie Vardy has signed a new three-and-a-half year contract with Leicester City, extending his stay at the King Power Stadium until 2019.

The striker's existing deal was due to run until 2018 but he has been rewarded for his remarkable rise to the top of the Premier League scoring charts.

Vardy, who had not played a top-flight game until age 27, has netted 18 league goals this season to put Leicester five points clear at the top of the table.

"I'm absolutely delighted to be fighting to achieve something special with this club, as part of this squad," Vardy told Leicester's official website. 

"I've never known a spirit like it - from the owners, to the manager and his staff, the players and the fans. I want to be part of it for a long time. 

"Leicester City have shown nothing but total faith in me since the day I arrived here three-and-a-half years ago and it's impossible to measure how much that belief has helped me to improve. 

"I'll forever be grateful for the investment the club has made in me and I'll spend every day working to repay it."

Leicester signed Vardy for £1 million - a new record for a non-league player - from Fleetwood Town in 2012 and he went on to score 16 league goals as they won the Championship title during his second season.

He notched five goals last season as the Foxes secured survival with seven wins in their final nine matches and has already more than tripled that total in 2015-16.

"Jamie is a fighter," Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri said. "He has had an unbelievable journey to get to this point in his career and continues to play every game as if it's his last.

"I love his spirit, which is a quality I want in my players above all else. "He has shown what a fantastic player he is and, more importantly, he is part of a fantastic group. 

"I am very happy that he will stay with us for a long time."