Lady Gaga scoops hat-trick of gongs

The pop world went gaga on Wednesday night when the eccentric New Yorker picked up three Brit awards.

Lady Gaga, who dedicated the night to fashion designer Alexander McQueen who died last week, was named international female solo artist and international breakthrough act.

The singer, who topped her barely-there lace outfit with a huge white wig and mask, also collected the statuette for international album for The Fame.

A tearful Lady Gaga said: "I was really excited to win the first two awards. This award means even more to me because I worked so hard on this album for so long.

"My fans were the first people to believe in me. Thank you so much."

Lily Allen opened the 30th Brit Awards and immediately courted controversy by landing on stage astride a replica bomb to the sound of air raid sirens.

Ms Allen's spokesman declined to comment on the act and a spokesman for the awards said: "When I watched it, it looked like a balloon, it did not look like what some viewers have probably misinterpreted it to be."

Ms Allen, who was named British female, performed The Fear, which was nominated for British single but lost out to JLS's Beat Again.

She was backed by dancers wheeling Silver Cross prams which will be auctioned for the singer's chosen charity War Child which works with children affected by war.

Ms Allen, who left empty handed in 2007 despite four nods, wore a huge bright orange wig to accept her award from Dame Shirley Bassey.

The giggling singer said: "I only wore this orange wig because I thought it would make it harder for them to find me, the cameramen, and catch my disappointed face. This doesn't happen very often for me."

The show suffered a shaky start when the sound disappeared and host Peter Kay appeared confused, tapping his microphone to check it was working while the message "audio is muted" came on screens.

Sam Fox, who hosted a disastrous live Brit awards in 1989, presented the first award of the night, for Brits performance of 30 years - and picked up much where she left off 21 years ago with long pauses and toothy nervous grins.

The awards, shown live on ITV, were punctuated throughout by silence as offensive language was muted.

It was also a successful night for JLS who collected the award for British breakthrough act, then the statuette for best British single for Beat Again.

The band, runners-up on The X Factor 2008, beat the show's winner, Alexandra Burke, who was nominated for her single Bad Boys and judge Cheryl Cole with her hit Fight For This Love.

Lady Gaga may have stolen the show in terms of statuettes but all eyes were on Ms Cole, whose husband Ashley is at the centre of lurid newspaper allegations, appeared without her wedding ring.

She gave a slightly chaotic performance of her song where the dancing did not always seem to match the sound.

Afterwards, Mr Kay said: "Fight For This Love, never a truer word spoken."

The host punctuated the night with witty one-liners.

When Liam Gallagher hurled a microphone and his Brit award into the crowd after collecting Oasis's award for the Brits album of 30 years for their record (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Mr Kay remarked simply: "What a knobhead."

The night climaxed with a performance by Robbie Williams as he collected an award for outstanding contribution to music.

He sang to his statuette as he kicked off with a slow version of his recent single Bodies before launching into hits including Let Me Entertain You, Feel and Angels.

The beaming singer said: "It feels really good up here, Brits. Thank you so much."

List of winners

British performance of the last 30 years: Spice Girls for Wannabe/Who Do You Think You Are? (1997).

British male solo artiste: Dizzee Rascal

International male solo artiste: Jay-Z

British album of the last 30 years: Oasis for (What's The Story) Morning Glory?

British breakthrough act: JLS

British group: Kasabian

International breakthrough act: Lady Gaga

International female solo artiste: Lady Gaga

British female solo artiste: Lily Allen

International album: Lady Gaga for The Fame

British single: JLS for Beat Again

The MasterCard British Album: Florence and the Machine for Lungs

British producer: Paul Epworth

Critics' choice: Ellie Goulding

Outstanding contribution to music: Robbie Williams