Selby was competing in his first Masters tournament

Having reached the final with three successive last-frame victories, Selby reeled off eight successive frames to secure the winner's cheque of �150,000.

Lee took the first frame and later led 3-2 but Selby posted breaks of 124 and 88 to take a 5-3 lead at the interval.

Selby recorded four century breaks in all, clinching the decisive frame with a devastating clearance of 141.

Selby crowned 2008 Masters Champion

I'm gutted for people who turned up to watch me Beaten finalist Stephen Lee

Although it was Lee who took a scrappy opening frame, Selby hit back with a 124 break to draw level and then go 2-1 ahead with a break of 88.

The fourth frame nearly lasted half an hour, but it was Lee who won it to leave the match finely poised at 2-2 at the mid-session interval.

Lee gained the advantage by winning the first frame after the resumption, but then the world number 13 from Trowbridge saw his opponent reel off three frames in a row to take command of the match.

606: DEBATE I think it's fair to say that Selby is in the elite crowd now chumbawumba2

A run of 43 helped Selby tie the match up at 3-3, before a break of 60 saw him edge 4-3 ahead and it got even better for last season's World Championship runner-up as a break of 45 helped him to 5-3 clear.

Selby started the evening session in menacing fashion with a break of 132 to edge further ahead and Lee struggled to get back into in the match.

The Leicester player held his nerve superbly, sealing the win with the joint-highest clearance of the tournament which earned him an additional �5,000, equalling Irishman Ken Doherty's 141 break from earlier in the event.

Only John Spencer (1975), Doug Mountjoy (1977), Terry Griffiths (1980) and Stephen Hendry (1989) have previously won the tournament on their debut.

Selby told BBC Sport afterwards: "I've been knocking on the door for a while. The world championship would have been nice last season, but to win the Masters is amazing.

"I'm only 24 but I feel about 40 after those close matches. "It would be great to go on and win at the Crucible this season."

Lee was unable to hide his disappointment over his lacklustre performance