VIEW OUR BRITS SLIDESHOW Hat-trick for Welsh star Duffy as Coldplay fail at Brits

WELSH singer Duffy triumphed at last night's Brit Awards - as Coldplay were left out in the cold.

The smoky-voiced siren won three top honours - Best Album, Best British Female Solo Artist and Best Breakthrough Act.

The 24-year-old singer-songwriter's success overshadowed Coldplay's failure as they walked away empty-handed, despite being nominated for four awards. BRIT WINNERS:

MasterCard British Album Duffy - Rockferry

British Group Elbow

British Single chosen by live public vote Girls Aloud - The Promise

British Male Solo Artist Paul Weller

British Female Solo Artist Duffy

British Breakthrough Act Chosen by BBC Radio One listeners Duffy

British Live Act Nominees chosen by a panel of live music experts under the chairmanship of Tony Wadsworth of The BPI. Winner chosen by BBC Radio Two listeners Iron Maiden

International Album Kings of Leon - Only By The Night

International Group Kings of Leon

International Male Solo Artist Kanye West

International Female Solo Artist Katy Perry

Critics' Choice Award Florence & The Machine

British Producer of the Year Chosen by the Music Producers' Guild Bernard Butler

Outstanding Contribution to music Pet Shop Boys

Less than a month after they scooped three Grammys in the US, Chris Martin's band were snubbed by the British music industry.

But an elated Duffy was the night's big winner as, close to tears, she said she was going to "keep it together" while she thanked the British public.

"I can't tell you what this means after five years, thank you so much," she said.

Her record Rockferry was the best-selling album of 2008 and shifted 4.5million copies around the world.

She beat Adele, Beth Rowley, Estelle and M.I.A. for the Best Female award.

Afterwards, the modest singer said she left the star-studded event feeling "happier than I could have imagined".

She added: "It doesn't really matter what you achieve - in the end you're still the same person.

"I still have the same problems, I still wake up with a headache. Nothing changes."

She added that friends and family in her home town of Nefyn had organised celebratory pub crawls last night and her aunt was holding an open-house party.

The glitzy ceremony, which unlike previous years seemed to pass off without controversy, was hosted by Kylie Minogue and Gavin and Stacey stars James Corden and Mathew Horne.

The event, at London's Earls Court, was also a triumph for indie underdogs Elbow.

After nearly two decades of performing together, the band took the Brit for Best Group.

Girls Aloud seemed rather overawed by winning the best British Single award.

Cheryl Cole said it seemed "a bit surreal" but added the award should scotch any notion the band was on the verge of splitting up.

"We have just won a Brit, voted for by the public and us being here shuts that question up," she said.

Pet Shop Boys marked their Outstanding Contribution to Music award by performing a medley of their hits alongside Brandon Flowers, lead singer of the Killers, and Lady GaGa.

Two other veteran acts were honoured - Paul Weller as Best British Male and Iron Maiden as Best Live Act.

In the international categories, Kings Of Leon won Best Album and Best Group, while Kanye West took Best Male. Katy Perry was named Best International Female.

Florence & The Machine were named Critics' Choice.