LED ZEPPELIN - ROBERT PLANT LEADS BRITISH CHARGE AT 2009 GRAMMYS

ROBERT PLANT LEADS BRITISH CHARGE AT 2009 GRAMMYS

Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant led a field of British winners at the Grammys on Sunday, with five awards in all.

Plant and Alison Krauss took the coveted record of the year prize for Please Read the Letter as well as winning album of the year for Raising Sand.

The duo also took the awards for best contemporary folk/Americana album, best country collaboration with vocals and best pop collaboration with vocals.

"I'd like to say I'm bewildered," Plant , 60, told the audience.

"In the old days we would have called this selling out. But it's a good way to spend a Sunday."

Coldplay claimed three awards, winning best rock album, best rock performance and the prestigious song of the year prize for Viva La Vida.

"We've never had so many Grammys in our life," said lead singer Chris Martin at the Los Angeles ceremony.

"We feel so grateful to be here. I'm going to tear up."

Radiohead, Duffy and Peter Gabriel were fellow British winners while 20-year-old Adele claimed two prizes, including a surprise win in the best new artist category.

"Thank you so much. I'm going to cry," she told the audience after beating Duffy and the Jonas Brothers to the best new artist prize.

"I want to thank my manager, my mum, she's in London. And Duffy, I love you. I think you're amazing."

She joked: "Jonas Brothers, I love you as well."

Rapper Lil Wayne was the most nominated artists with eight nods for his album Tha Carter III and won four in total, though he lost out in the best rap/sung collaboration to American Boy by Estelle and Kanye West.

Former American Idol winner Jennifer Hudson - whose mother, brother and nephew were murdered last year - made an emotional appearance, winning her first Grammy for best R 'n' B album and performing the moving balled You Pulled Me Through.

Other performers included Sir Paul McCartney and British singer MIA, whose baby was due on the day of the ceremony.