Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has reassured fans he is making a speedy recovery after fracturing his finger.

The recent accident caused the postponement of the band's eagerly awaited first concert in two decades.

Page, 63, who was honoured with a Living Legend Award at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour awards in London last night, told BBC Radio 5 Live he was walking in the dark when he tripped over a stone slab.

"I didn't just come down on my hand, I came down on other parts of my body as well. But of course it was the hand that had a bit of an injury to it," he said. "It's got a fracture in the little finger of the left hand, which is a nuisance 'cos it's really needed. It's just going to take a little while for it to heal, that's all.

"It's not permanent damage. I've broken fingers before, a lot worse than this." He expected to return to rehearsals soon, he said. "We'll make the gig all right and we'll do all the rehearsals too. It's just going to need like two, two and a half weeks."

He said fans could expect to hear the band's classic songs at the concert. "It's pretty much a lot of the songs that people would want to hear. We just got together and started playing and it started to take on its own shape, if you like.

"It's probably what you'd want to hear, and what we want to play too, so that's a great, great chemistry."

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler paid tribute to the guitarist, who also received video messages from Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and guitar legend Les Paul. Meat Loaf cancelled his appearance because of acute laryngitis so his Classic Album award for Bat Out Of Hell was collected by his daughter, Pearl Aday.

Status Quo won the Classic Songwriters title, while Heaven And Hell took Comeback Of The Year and the Metal Guru award went to Tony Iommi, Heaven And Hell and Black Sabbath guitarist.

Pink Floyd's Nick Mason took to the stage to honour long-term collaborator Storm Thorgerson, the graphic designer who created the Dark Side Of The Moon album cover, with an Outstanding Contribution award.

Rock magazine editor-in-chief Scott Rowley said: "It's been quite a year for rock music.
"From the 20 million attempts to get Led Zeppelin tickets to the new album from the Eagles going straight in at number one in the album charts this week, 2007 has proved that fashions can come and go, but rock music continues to move people."

The awards, held in London and voted for by readers of Classic Rock magazine, are now in their third year.

The winners:
Best New Band
Black Stone Cherry

Reissue of the Year
Kiss - Alive! 1975-2000

DVD of the Year
Frank Zappa Classic Albums

Album of the Year
Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet

Band of the Year
Rush

Event of the YearAerosmith at Hyde Park Calling

Classic Songwriters
Status Quo

Metal Guru
Tony Iommi

Showman Award
Jeff Wayne

The Classic Rock/Childline
Ian and Jacky Paice

Tommy Vance Inspiration
Mick Ronson

Outstanding Contribution
Storm Thorgerson

Classic Album
Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell

Comeback Of The Year
Heaven And Hell

Living Legend
Jimmy Page