Duffy lined up to be the new Dusty

Welsh songstress Duffy capped an amazing year by cleaning up at this year's Brit Awards.

See also: Duffy is a Brits winner but no Dusty

The smokey-voiced singer's meteoric rise to super-stardom was sealed with a hat-trick of awards last night, including best female, album and breakthrough act. The stunned and tearful 24-year-old singer/songwriter said: "Oh my gosh. I am going to keep it together for this one.

"Thank you very, very much. I don't mean to be greedy and take another one home with me.

"I have travelled around this country, back and forth from Wales to London, and played my songs to old ladies who are probably watching TV right now.

"It is an honour to be here. I can't tell you how much this means to me," she gushed.

The new Dusty Springfield, whose record Rockferry was the best-selling album of 2008 and sold 4.5 million copies around the world, was nominated for four gongs with stadium rockers Coldplay.

But despite huge success at the Grammys last week where they collected three awards including song of the year with Viva La Vida, the band left empty-handed.

They were tipped to win the best group, album, live act and single.

However, the Brits have a cruel history of sending big names home with nothing.

And the boys famously joined the likes of Leona Lewis, Lily Allen and Craig David from previous years.

Frontman Chris Martin and bandmates ­ Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland ­ later dashed from the awards ceremony to nearby Shepherds Bush Empire for a War Child charity gig with The Killers, but not before joining in a standing ovation for Mercury Prize winners and indie underdogs Elbow, who were named best group.

Girls Aloud's hit, The Promise, was hailed the best British single, triumphing over chart-toppers ­ Mercy (Duffy), Viva La Vida (Coldplay), Better In Time (Leona Lewis) and Heartbeat (Scouting for Girls) ­ in the show's second live public vote.

X-Factor star Cheryl Cole said: "Thank you to everyone who voted. This really is the cherry on the cake."

The cream of the music world gathered for the star-studded bash hosted by pop princess Kylie Minogue with Gavin & Stacey stars James Corden and Mathew Horne at London's Earls Court last night.

Usually dogged with controversy, the live event passed incident-free.

U2 opened the show with an electric performance of their new single Get On Your Boots ­ against the backdrop of a music festival-themed stage design, complete with caravans and tee-pees.

It was the first of many live acts including Duffy, Coldplay, Take That, Girls Aloud and Kings of Leon.

And the Brits would not be the Brits without a unique collaboration and this year the event threw together pop/rock band The Ting Tings and soul diva Estelle.

Veteran songster and Jam legend Paul Weller collected the gong for best male ­ beating former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown and young guns James Morrison, Will Young and The Streets, aka Mike Skinner.

The top award of the showcase went to the Pet Shop Boys who celebrated their outstanding contribution to music honour with a closing live set of their most famous hits including West End Girls, Always On My Mind, In Suburbia, It¹s A Sin, plus a duet with Lady GaGa.

Duo Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have had four number one singles and 22 Top 10 hits since they first emerged onto the music scene in 1985.

Iron Maiden won best live act and the international gongs for best group and album went to Kings of Leon, while Kanye West was named best male and Katy Perry best female.

Florence & the Machine ­ the music-making alter-ego of Londoner and kooky songstress Florence Welch, who has drawn comparisons to Kate Bush ­ won the award for exceptional new British talent.

Guest award presenters included Welsh crooner Sir Tom Jones, TV chef Jamie Oliver, soul legend Lionel Ritchie, comedians Alan Carr and Simon Pegg, boxing champ Joe Calzaghe, Baywatch star David Hasselhoff, TV presenter Gok Wan, singers Natalie Imbruglia and Jamie Cullum and former Blur bassist Alex James.

By Sunita Patel at Earls Court

And the winners are:

* MasterCard British Album: Duffy - Rockferry.

* British Group: Elbow.

* British Single: Girls Aloud ­- The Promise.

* British Male Solo Artist: Paul Weller.

* British Female Solo Artist: Duffy.

* British Breakthrough Act: Duffy.

* British Live Act: Iron Maiden.

* International Album: Kings of Leon ­ Only By The Night.

* International Group: Kings of Leon.

* International Male Solo Artist: Kanye West.

* International Female Solo Artist: Katy Perry.

* Critics' Choice Award: Florence & The Machine.

* British Producer of the Year: Bernard Butler.

* Outstanding Contribution to music: Pet Shop Boys.