It is Amy Winehouse's second Ivor Novello award

Winehouse scooped best contemporary song for her hit Rehab, while Madonna collected the international hit of the year for Sorry.

Sheffield-based band Arctic Monkeys collected the best album award for Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not.

The Ivors are considered among the most prestigious awards in British music.

Collecting her award at the central London ceremony, Winehouse joked: "Thank you all very much, I didn't even have time to get drunk, I've only been here about 15 minutes."

To everyone whose songs I've re-mixed, sampled or stolen... I would like to say thank you DJ Norman Cook

Singer-songwriter Scott Matthews beat stiff competition from Arctic Monkeys and Robbie Williams to take the award for best song musically and lyrically for his song Elusive.

Williams had been nominated for his critically-panned single Rudebox, which he co-wrote.

Sir Elton John also won an award as the Scissor Sisters smash hit I Don't Feel Like Dancin', which he co-wrote, was named PRS (Performing Right Society) most performed work.

'Pulling my eyeballs'

Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears, who collected the award with Sir Elton, said: "This is really special. I want to give a big shout out and thank you to Elton.

"About 18 months ago, I was so depressed and Elton was doing nothing short of tap dancing and pulling my eyeballs out to make me feel better. Elton came into the studio and we wrote the song.

"This is a great day to feel not just like a colleague of Elton's but to call him a friend too."

Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters was among those at the ceremony

Other winners included The Feeling, who were named song writers of the year, while the PRS outstanding contribution to music award went to DJ Norman Cook.

Cook said: "I'm not a traditional songwriter, I'm not really a songwriter at all. I take bits of other people's songs and adapt songs.

"To everyone whose songs I've re-mixed, sampled or stolen or been in a band with, I would like to say thank you."

The lifetime achievement award was given to Peter Gabriel, while a special international award went to Quincy Jones.

Jones said: "I had no idea that it was going to be like this, this is serious. I'm very proud."