Stressed Eric and Famous Fred are the talk of the toons

OSCAR hopeful Joanna Quinn received a boost last night when she won a top prize at the British Animation Awards.

The film maker who has been nominated for best animated short film in the Oscars later this month won the best children's special for her Channel 4/S4C film Famous Fred. Based around a cat who has a secret life as a rock'n'roll star and wears Elvis Presley outfits, it was the unanimous choice of the children's jury from schools in London and Nottingham.

A previous Oscar winner, Daniel Greaves, won two of the four public choice awards voted for by audiences at the National Film Theatre and Museum of the Moving Image last month. His BBC film Flatworld won both favourite film and the new perspectives award.

Another winner in two categories was Carl Gorham's adult animated series Stressed Eric for BBC2, which stars ulcer-growing hero Eric Feeble.

Jonathan Hodgson's Feeling My Way won for most creative use of new technologies and Sarah Cox's Three ways to Go was best film under 10 minutes. Two students won awards: Jim Lefevre, of the Edinburgh College of Art, for best directorial debut with the funny Little Princess's Birthday, and Andrew Higgins, of the Royal College of Art, the craft award for Gourmand.

The awards were presented at the National Film Theatre.