'Brilliant' poet fights disease to collect prize

A poet galvanised into finishing his first collection for 20 years by the onset of terminal motor neurone disease has won one of the most prestigious prizes in poetry.

Mick Imlah, 52, of north London, was cheered to the roof when he appeared in his wheelchair to accept the £10,000 Forward Prize for his collection The Lost Leader. The award was presented by Frieda Hughes, daughter of former Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, who said of his work: "No word is wasted, nothing is unintentional. Quite brilliant."

After diagnosis late last year, Imlah's rapid degeneration meant he could not speak at last night's ceremony in central London.

It was attended by dozens of poets, including many he championed in his day job as poetry editor of the Times Literary Supplement.

In a statement he said: "It's a great boost for morale in my present circumstances. I'm thrilled."

William Sieghart, the prize founder, said the victory was the best deserved in years. And Alan Brownjohn, poet and prize judge, said: ''In its range and fierceness of intelligence, this is a really remarkable collection."