Elaine Paige handed the award to producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh

The show, first performed 25 years ago, received 40% of the 400,000 votes in the BBC Radio 2 survey, beating The Phantom of the Opera into second place.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers came third with The King and I in fourth place. But Cats, Grease and The Sound of Music all failed to make the top 10.

Les Miserables producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh said he was "completely knocked out" by the result.

The show, set during the French uprisings of the 1840s, was adapted from Victor Hugo's novel and made its debut in Paris in 1980.

TOP 10 MUSICALS 1. Les Miserables 2. The Phantom of the Opera 3. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 4. The King and I 5. Sunset Boulevard 6. Evita 7. Chess 8. The Rocky Horror Show 9. Follies 10. Hair Source: BBC Radio 2

It has been playing in London's West End since 1985 and reached Broadway in 1987.

Producers boast the show has been seen by more than 50 million people around the world.

The poll results were announced by Elaine Paige, who starred in Chess and Cats, on her Radio 2 show.

The contest ran for six months with 50 shows in contention.

Sunset Boulevard came fifth with Evita in sixth and Chess at seven.

Eighth place went to The Rocky Horror Show with Follies in ninth and Hair rounding out the top 10.