New York-born writer wins Britain's most prestigious award for poetry

The forward Poetry Prize, worth £10,000, was won last night by New York-born poet Michael Donaghy for his collection Conjure. He collects Britain's biggest contemporary poetry prize to add to the Whitbread Prize he won in 1988.

The forward Poetry Prize, worth £10,000, was won last night by New York-born poet Michael Donaghy for his collection Conjure. He collects Britain's biggest contemporary poetry prize to add to the Whitbread Prize he won in 1988.

Donaghy moved to London in 1985 and now works as a teacher and musician. Conjure is his third collection, and his first in seven years.

Other prize winners in this year's competition were Lincolnshire-born Andrew Waterhouse, and Tessa Biddington.

Waterhouse, who won the award for a first collection, teaches environmental studies at Northumberland College. He collects £5,000 and the Best First Collection award from the bookseller Waterstone's for his work In.

The prize for the best single poem went to Biddington for her poem "The Death of Descartes". Biddington, who was born in Pinner, north-west London, in 1954, began writing in 1996. She won £1,000.

The Forward Prizes were launched nine years ago in an attempt to raise the profile of contemporary poetry. They are the most valuable annual poetry awards in Britain, with prizes totalling £16,000.

Previous winners include Jo Shapcott and the late Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, who won the prize in 1998.

Last night's awards preceded today's seventh National Poetry Day, which will be marked by a range of celebratory events around the country, including an attempt by children to set a new world record for the number of people reciting a poem at the same time in different locations.

Primary, secondary and special school pupils will recite a poem entitled "Word", by Patience Agbabi, during their morning assemblies.

In the House of Lords, a cross-party collection of peers will gather to hold a special poetry reading. BBC Radio 4 has commissioned 14 sonnets on the theme of the points of the compass.