Fifty Shades Of Grey voted Book of the Year

11 March 2012: Erotic romance novel Fifty Shades of Grey, by previously unknown British author EL James, topped the New York Times best-seller list. A limited print run of the book, the first of a trilogy, sold out while the majority of sales were e-book (Getty Images)

EL James's best-selling steamy sensation Fifty Shades Of Grey has been voted Book of the Year by the reading public.

The novel, the first of a trilogy of saucy tales dubbed "mummy porn", has become a literary phenomenon, selling more than six million copies to become the best-selling book of all time in the UK.

It won more than three quarters of the votes after the public were asked to cast a ballot for their favourite read as part of this year's Specsavers National Book Awards.

Ms James said: "Thank you so much for this wonderful award. I am truly honoured. I have to thank the readers and the retailers for making Fifty Shades of Grey the success it has become. It's really quite overwhelming."

The trilogy, about a sado-masochistic relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey, has been a publishing sensation.

Rights to the books have been sold around the world and the trilogy is being published in languages including Albanian, Chinese, Russian, Serbian and Vietnamese.

All three books are due to be filmed as part of a movie deal.

PA