Bestival wins best major festival at UK Festival Awards

The arena at Bestival on the Isle of Wight

Bestival has picked up best major festival at the UK Festival Awards.

The awards took place at the O2 Indigo last night (18 November) with Radio 1's Rob da Bank, who's behind Bestival, also picking up best family festival for Camp Bestival.

Both awards are voted for by the public.

Other winners included Mumford & Sons for best breakthrough act while Paolo Nutini was named feel good act of the summer.

Critics' choice

Biffy Clyro's Glastonbury performance earned them the critics choice award.

Other winners saw Florence & The Machine take home anthem of the summer for You've Got The Love.

Bestival is famous for its fancy dress and themed festivals

AC/DC won headline performance of the year for their Download appearance.

Scottish festival Rockness was voted the line-up of the year and T In The Park won best toilets.

Creamfields picked up the prize for best dance event and T in the Park organiser Geoff Ellis was given a limetime achievement award.

The Camden Crawl was voted best metropolitan festival with Green Man (medium festival) and Kendal Calling (small festival) also taking home gongs.

Best new festival went to Vintage At Goodwood.

James Drury, managing director of UK festival awards ltd said: "This year's awards were the most hotly-contested we've had, with more than half a million votes, demonstrating just how important festivals are to the UK public.

"Despite the continued challenges of the economy it's been an incredible year for festivals and the awards is all about celebrating that.

"The winners should be rightly proud of their achievements, as should the rest of the industry."