Badly Drawn Boy triumphs

London - Manchester music act Badly Drawn Boy has won this year's Mercury Music Prize

London - Manchester music act Badly Drawn Boy has won this year's Mercury Music Prize. Damon Gough, known as Badly Drawn Boy, accepted the award at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, last night, writes Brian Boyd.

The £75,000 prize is awarded to the best Irish or British album of the past 12 months.

Badly Drawn Boy won for his album, The Hour of Bewilderbeast, which was a top 20 hit on its release last June.