Il Divo get Classic Brit honour

Il Divo are signed to Simon Cowell's record label Syco

Operatic quartet Il Divo are to receive an honorary accolade recognising them as "artists of the decade" at the Classic Brit awards next month.

The newly created honour will reward them for sales of 25 million albums around the world.

They will also perform at the Classic Brits ceremony - formerly known as the Classical Brits - at London's Royal Albert Hall on 12 May.

The group were created by Simon Cowell and released their debut album in 2004.

Record label body the BPI, which organises the ceremony, said the award recognised "the massive impact that Il Divo have made worldwide on the ever-changing public face of classical music".

Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson and the cast of Les Miserables will perform at the event, to be hosted by Myleene Klass for the fourth year running.