Biography of artist wins Whitbread Prize

THE second volume of a biography of Henri Matisse, which took 15 years to complete, tonight became the surprise winner of the Whitbread Book of the Year prize.

Hilary Spurling, 65, won the £25,000 (€36,000) award for Matisse The Master, which is only the fifth biography to scoop the prestigious title in 20 years.

Judges admitted the choice of winner had been "unbelievably close", with Irish writer Kate Thompson's children's book The New Policeman just edged into second place.