Rihanna wins MTV VMA award for Belfast video We Found Love

Rihanna performed at the MTV VMAs ceremony in Los Angeles

Rihanna has won MTV's Video of the Year award for We Found Love, a clip of which caused controversy during its filming in Northern Ireland.

The singer took the top award at a star-studded Video Music Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The filming had proved too raunchy for one County Down farmer, who told Rihanna to cover up when she stripped down in his grain field.

The lyrics also offended some in north Belfast, who objected to their area being called "a hopeless place".

Rihanna attracted a lot of attention while filming her video in north Belfast

Northern Ireland's social development minister Nelson McCausland said the video was "set against a background of drugs, alcohol and gambling, interspersed with shots of the New Lodge flats and views of the general area".

"A hopeless place? Fortunately most people who see the video will have no idea where it was filmed."

His Democratic Unionist Party colleague Alan Graham was at the centre of a worldwide media storm after he called for filming in his field to stop.

The councillor and farmer was fetching his tractor when he saw Rihanna and thought her topless appearance was "inappropriate".

"I had my conversation with Rihanna and I hope she understands where I'm coming from. We shook hands," he said.

The video even drew the ire of former Carry On star Barbara Windsor, who offered her support to the farmer.

"I don't blame him. How old is he? Does he need that at his time of life, seeing Rihanna taking her top off? He doesn't," she said.