Singer Adele enjoyed double success at the Ivor Novello Awards in London

Tearful Londoner Adele was named songwriter of the year at the Ivor Novello Awards today - and promptly gave the gong away.

Presented with the award by Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox, Adele said she learned from the reviews of her first album.

She said: “The main thing was, my songs weren’t as good as my voice, which I hadn’t realised but I took it on board and now I’m songwriter of the year.”

She dedicated the award to her manager Jonathan Dickins and said: “This award is going on your shelf, not mine.”

The Grammy Award-winning singer also picked up the award for most performed work for her song Rolling in the Deep at the Grosvenor House Hotel ceremony in central London and joked she never expected it to be a hit.

She said: “I really didn’t think it was going to do anything anywhere.”

There were also awards for Take That who were honoured for their outstanding contribution to British music, and Lana Del Rey, who won best contemporary song for Video Games.

The annual awards - in their 57th year - are highly prized because they are voted for by songwriters and composers.

Ed Sheeran won the award for best song musically and lyrically for The A Team, and PJ Harvey’s Mercury Prize-winning Let England Shake was named best album.

Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp, the man behind hits including Gold and True, was presented with the award for outstanding song collection.

Punk pioneer Siouxsie Sioux picked up the Ivors Inspiration award.

Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler won the lifetime achievement award, and American songwriter Jimmy Webb, responsible for hits including By the Time I Get To Phoenix and Wichita Lineman, won the special international award.

Musical maestro Andrew Lloyd Webber was given a British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) fellowship, joining names including Elton John, Paul McCartney and Tim Rice.