Electronic trio The xx have bagged the coveted Mercury Prize.

The group from south London won the award at a plush ceremony in Mayfair, London for their debut album xx.

Singer Romy Madley Croft said they were in shock: "I genuinely wasn't expecting to hear our name, genuinely, genuinely not."

Past winner Dizzee Rascal and the Modfather Paul Weller had been the bookies favourites.

The childhood pals follow in the footsteps of acts like Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys, Elbow.