By Lewis Bazley.

Speech DeBelle has become the 17th recipient of the prestigious Mercury Prize for Music.

The hip-hop artist claimed the award for her album Speech Therapy ahead of favourites Florence and the Machine and the Horrors.

The South London artist, real name Corynne Elliot, released her debut album in June and was a surprise winner of one of the most highly regarded awards in British music.

She had been an outside favourite, though whispers of a win had increased when her odds were slashed on Tuesday afternoon, and she is the first woman to win the Mercury since Ms Dynamite in 2002.

Held at the Grosvenor House hotel in Mayfair, London, the awards ceremony was presented by Jools Holland and included performances from the majority of nominees, including Friendly Fires and lesser-known nominees Led Bib, the Invisible and Sweet Billy Pilgrim.

Now in its 17th year, the prize and accompanying £20,000 cheque recognises the best British and Irish albums of the past 12 months.

Previous winners include Dizzee Rascal, Arctic Monkeys, Klaxons and Elbow.

Watch performances from the Mercury prize ceremony, courtesy of the BBC, below:

Florence and the Machine

La Roux

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