Coldplay and Robert Plant lead British charge at the Grammys

Sunday night's Grammys ceremony was a hotbed of intrigue and excitement - as much for what was happening backstage as for the awards. Sixty-year-old Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant led the winners, taking home five prizes for his collaboration with US bluegrass singer Alison Krauss. The duo took the showpiece album of the year prize for Raising Sand, and the record of the year for Please Read The Letter. Kraus now has a total of 26 Grammys, the most any woman has received.

Coldplay, Adele, Duffy, Radiohead and Peter Gabriel were also part of a triumphant British contingent, with Coldplay (pictured) winning best pop performance by a duo or group and the prestigious song of the year award for Viva La Vida.

Accepting the best rock album award for the group's album of the same name, Martin said: "We're not the heaviest of rock bands, as you may have noticed - we're more of a limestone rock band."

US singer and actress Jennifer Hudson - back in the limelight after the murders of her mother, brother and nephew last year - won her first Grammy in the best R&B album category. She sang You Pulled Me Through, a song about overcoming despair, and dissolved into tears at the final note.

Production of the Grammys show - at Staples Center in Los Angeles - was thrown into last minute confusion when it was learned that Chris Brown and Rihanna would not be coming. The reason for their absence, according to the Los Angeles Times, was down to an apparent early-morning incident between the romantically linked stars.

After they had cancelled, news came that Brown was being investigated for allegedly attacking a woman in a car on Saturday night, and had turned himself into an LA police station. He was later released on $50,000 bail.

The other surprise of the night was that MIA did perform - the British-born vocalist strutted about on stage, despite being nine months pregnant and on her due date. ·