Azerbaijan duo wins Eurovision

They may never win the football World Cup or triumph at the top of the medal table at the Olympics, but they were celebrating in Baku last night as Azerbaijan was crowned winner of the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time – finishing well clear of the United Kingdom and Ireland entries.

British boy band Blue and Jedward, the Irish twins who came sixth in the X-Factor, watched as phone voting left them lagging behind in the contest held in Dusseldorf. The winning song was a theatrical duet called "Running Scared" sung by Eldar and Nigar. One half of the duo, Nikki Jamal, lives in north London. Azerbaijan only started competing in Eurovision in 2008, but as winners will host the contest next year. Blue finished eleventh.