Dame Helen Mirren cannot stop winning - on Thursday night she scooped another prize at an awards ceremony.

Star of the hit film The Queen and television's Prime Suspect, she won the arts category at the Morgan Stanley Great Britons Awards in London.

Celebrities including model Jerry Hall, her daughter Lizzie Jagger, director Terry Gilliam, Formula One driver Damon Hill and actress Jane Seymour were among the audience at the Guildhall.

The awards are designed to recognise achievement by Britons in the past year.

Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys was named Great Briton of the Year for his work in genetic fingerprinting.

His developments were used in the police investigation to track down the Ipswich serial killer.

The judges said: "His work on DNA profiling, which is constantly being refined, has huge implications. No other discovery has so transformed crime detection.

"The applications of DNA profiling have expanded from law enforcement to resolve paternity and immigration disputes, identify the victims of the tsunami, wildlife population genetics and even reveal whether sushi has been made from an endangered species."

Sir Alec said he was amazed to even be short-listed: "The win is a wonderful recognition for genetics and I am sure will give great pleasure to everyone involved with DNA fingerprinting."

Zara Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne, claimed the sports category award for winning individual gold and team silver at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.

Fresh from his success at M&S, boss Sir Stuart Rose won the business category while Sir David Attenborough claimed the creative industries award.

Former US vice president Al Gore presented a special award for the environment to Sir Nicholas Stern for his economic review of the impact of climate change.

Former winners include fashion boss Sir Paul Smith, chef Jamie Oliver and double-gold Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes.