Dido, Kate Bush and the team behind Kylie Minogue's recent smash hit have won Ivor Novello songwriting awards, marking a success for women songwriters.

Minogue's song Can't Get You Out of My Head scooped three awards for its writers, former star Cathy Dennis and 70s Mud veteran Rob Davis.

As well as winning the dance award, it also triumphed in the most-performed work and international hit of the year categories.

Ex-Mud guitarist Rob Davis has triumphed

The songwriting team have also penned hits for S Club 7 and Pop Idol winner Will Young.

The awards, presented on Thursday, honour the contribution of songwriters, composers and music publishers to the industry in 2001, selected by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters.

Dido won songwriter of the year at the Grosvenor House hotel in London's Park Lane, after 12 months of sustained success in the UK and US.

And veteran singer-songwriter Kate Bush completed the successes for women with her award for her outstanding contribution to British music.

The award for best song musically and lyrically went to U2's Walk On, while Northern Irish popsters Ash had the best contemporary song for Shining Light.

Hear'Say success

The BBC's groundbreaking aquatic wildlife series The Blue Planet won best original music for a TV or radio broadcast for composer George Fenton.

And the best original film score prize went to Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell for the Oscar-winning animated movie Shrek.

Best selling UK single was Hear'Say's Pure and Simple.

Manchester's Simply Red crooner Mick Hucknall won Outstanding Song Collection, while Sting will pick up the international achievement award.

Abba stars Bj�rn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson were in London to receive a special international award to recognise their songwriting achievements of the past 30 years.

The pair treated the audience to a few bars of their hit Fernando before leaving the stage with their awards.