Adele wins best female solo artist at Brits

British singer Adele has completed an extraordinary year of success with an award for best female solo artist at the Brit Awards.

Her album '21' has topped charts across the world and it is the biggest selling album in the UK this century.

She thanked her record company and her fans in her reception speech for allowing her the freedom to be the sort of artist she wanted to be in her reception speech.

She then performed on stage for the first time since undertaking surgery on her throat last year.

Adele is a testament to the success of independent British labels which are driving record sales in a fading UK music market.