Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy won best film award

Topsy-Turvy, Mike Leigh's period comedy about the birth of Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado, was another double winner.

It took the best film title, while its star Jim Broadbent, landed the best actor accolade.

Bell, 14, has won widespread acclaim for his performance in Billy Elliot.

His sensitive portrayal of a teenager who wins over his disapproving father with his talent earned him best actor nominations for the Baftas and the Screen Actors Guild awards.

He was also best newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards last year for his movie debut as Billy.

Bell received his award from Martine McCutcheon who is soon to star as Eliza Doolittle in a London stage version of My Fair Lady.

Animated chickens ran away with best comedy

Walters - also in the running for a Bafta but for best supporting actress - was recently voted the nation's all-time favourite actress.

The event at London's Savoy Hotel paid tribute to director Peter Yates - whose work has ranged from the all-action Bullitt to the poignant portrait of an ageing actor and his assistant in The Dresser - who was given the "special award".

Yates, who has worked with actors such as Robert Mitchum and Dustin Hoffman, was chosen for his "extraordinary contribution" to the British movie industry.

Sir Tom Courtenay - who played the camp valet in the Dresser - praised the director before handing the award to Yates, who is currently developing a script set in a drying-out clinic.

The animated blockbuster Chicken Run was named best comedy at the event on Sunday hosted by comic Jack Dee.

Full list of winners:

Best film: Topsy-Turvy

Best actor: Jim Broadbent (Topsy-Turvy)

Best actress - Julie Walters (Billy Elliot)

Peter Sellers Award for comedy: Peter Lord/Nick Park (Chicken Run)

Best Screenplay: Neil Jordan (The End Of The Affair)

Most promising newcomer: Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot)

Technical achievement: Andrew Saunders (The Golden Bowl)

Best documentary: Mark Jonathan Harris for Into The Arms Of Strangers: Stories of the Kinderstransport.

Special award: Peter Yates.