Hilary Mantel wins Costa Book Award

Hilary Mantel has won the Costa Book Award for her novel, Bring Up the Bodies.

The Booker Prize-winning novel about Henry VIII's adviser Thomas Cromwell beat four other books to win the prestigious prize, worth £30,000.

The judges said it was "head and shoulders" above the other contenders and was "quite simply the best book".

Dame Jenni Murray, who chaired the panel, said the judges had made a unanimous decision.

Responding to criticism about her book winning too many awards and stifling other talent, Mantel said she was "not going to apologise".

"I'm not sorry, I'm happy and I shall make it my business to try to write more books that will be worth more prizes," she said on stage.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, she said: "I was writing for many years and I was not among the prizes at all or I was the perpetual runner-up.

A comic-style graphic memoir about James Joyce's daughter by Mary and Bryan Talbot and Francesca Segal's debut novel The Innocents were also in the running.

Kathleen Jamie's poetry collection The Overhaul and children's book Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner completed the shortlist.

All five shortlisted writers received £5,000 each.