PJ Harvey claims Mercury Prize

PJ Harvey has become the first artist to win the prestigious Barclaycard Mercury Prize for a second time.

The 41-year-old musician – who had long been the bookies’ favourite – triumphed with her release Let England Shake which was inspired by modern conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Polly Jean Harvey beat acts such as chart-topper Adele and Brit-winning star Tinie Tempah to the £20,000 prize.

She had previously won the Mercury a decade ago on the night of September 11 and on that occasion was trapped in Washington DC following the earlier terrorist attacks.

Harvey wore a full-length white dress with a white leather bodice shaped like a strait-jacket – the design of which had been inspired by her album – to attend the ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.