ARCTIC MONKEYS - ARCTICS, FOOS AND TAKE THAT TAKE TWO EACH AT BRITS

ARCTICS, FOOS AND TAKE THAT TAKE TWO EACH AT BRITS

Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters and Take That were the major victors at the 2008 Brits awards, each claiming two gongs.

Sheffield indie kids Arctic Monkeys took the best British group and album award for the second consecutive year while the Foo Fighters Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace saw them claim the best international group and best international album prizes.

And the rejuvenated Take That took the best British live act trophy after a sell-out European tour as well as the best British single award for Shine, decided by a text vote during the ceremony.

"We appear before you bruised and battered, but dead chuffed," Jason Orange said while accepting the best British live act award at the ceremony at London's Earls Court.

"We are so honoured. We've worked so hard over the years."

Super-producer Mark Ronson took the best British male prize - the first non-singer to do so - and wowed the awards ceremony with a medley of his hits, featuring Amy Winehouse and Adele.

A graduate of the Brit performing arts school in Croydon, Adele took the critics' choice award, while a fellow pupil, Kate Nash, won the best British female award, though she missed out on the best British breakthrough act prize, with BBC Radio 1 listeners plumping for Mika.

Kylie Minogue said she was "extremely grateful and thankful" to take the best international female award, while the male winner, Kanye West, showed his usual modesty in saying, in a taped acceptance speech: "I'm sure there's someone who deserves this more than me, but I just don't know who they are."

Barbadian singer Rihanna celebrated her 20th birthday by performing her smash hit Umbrella with Klaxons, before Sir Paul McCartney - given the outstanding contribution award - closed the show with a medley, including Live and Let Die, Hey Jude and Lady Madonna.