There were tears among the Oscars audience as they gave a standing ovation to the late Heath Ledger.

Mixed emotions: Heath Ledger's mother Sally, left, father Kim and sister Kate with his best supporting actor Oscar

The actor, who died a year ago aged 28, won the best supporting actor Academy Award for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight.

Presented by five previous winners of the award, including Christopher Walken and Kevin Kline, the Oscar was received on behalf of Ledger and his daughter, Matilda, three, by his family.

On screen: Ledger won Best Supporting Actor

Standing between Heath's mother Sally and sister Kate, his father Kim held back tears as he paid tribute to his son.

He said: "This is ever so humbling - being amongst such wonderful people and such a wonderful industry.

"This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath's quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here, his peers within an industry he so loved."

Ledger became only the second performer to win a posthumous Oscar, following fellow Australian Peter Finch's win for Network in 1977. Backstage, Kate Ledger said she had a feeling he would be in the running for the gold statuette.

She said: "When he came home for Christmas a year ago, he had been sending me shots and bits and pieces from The Dark Knight. I said to him, I have the feeling this is it for you, you're going to get a nomination."