It's amazing - surreal - having written just a few songs

Craig David

And he took the best dance single award for Woman Trouble, which he created with Artful Dodger.

Click here to see the Ivor winners in full

Craig David told BBC News Online: "It's amazing - surreal - having written just a few songs to pick up the Songwriter of the Year award on top of the others."

David's Seven Days was shortlisted for the prestigious best contemporary song award along with U2's Beautiful Day and David Gray's Please Forgive Me.

David Gray did win Best Song Musically and Lyrically for his single Babylon.

I can't quite believe it - I just stay in my studio and write songs

Paul Joyce, Can We Fix It writer

Other winners were the original music for the BBC Two drama Gormenghast and best original score for the film X-men.

The Ivors are widely seen as the most important songwriting awards in Britain, and most of the winners are selected by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters.

The Ivors also award prizes for an outstanding song collection - this year to Roy Wood - and a prize for the biggest selling single of the year, Bob The Builder's Can We Fix It?

David Gray's songwriting skills have been recognised

Its writer, Paul Joyce, told BBC News Online: "I can't quite believe it - I just stay in my studio and write songs. I didn't expect to have this recognition."

The awards were presented at a ceremony at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London.

Presenters included Denise Van Outen (currently in Chicago), Dannii Minogue (appearing in Notre Dame de Paris) Brookside's Claire Sweeney, Bruce Welch of the Shadows, Chris Tarrant and Pete Townshend of The Who - who also won the award for Lifetime Achievement.

Rebel rockers The Clash won an award for their "outstanding contribution" to British music.

Afterwards Mick Jones told BBC News Online: "I know the Ivors is a bit 'establishment' - but the reason we came is that's it's a recognition of our craft - and for the laugh!"

But the loudest applause went to Stevie Wonder, who made the trip to London to be presented with the Academy's Special International Award.

Wonder received a long standing ovation

After a long standing ovation, Wonder thanked God for his abilities and his British fans for their loyalty, and reminisced about his first appearances on Top Of The Pops and Thank Your Luck Stars.

He finished his speech by singing part of his 1976 song Knocks Me Off My Feet.

His award was presented by Eurythmics Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox.

Later Annie Lennox told BBC News Online: "It was an honour - Stevie Wonder knew he was getting this award and he requested that Dave Stewart and I present it.

"He has always been so gracious to us, agreeing to play when we won a Brit award.

"He' s the one inspiration for me musically so for him to request that we should be part of this is an unforgettable thing."

The winners in full (songwriters in brackets)

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Best song musically and lyrically