Suffolk superstar Ed Sheeran has been named Songwriter Of The Year at a prestigious awards ceremony honouring excellence in the industry.

The Castle on the Hill singer was one of the few musicians to take home two trophies from the 63rd Ivor Novello Awards on Thursday night.

Ed, who grew up in Framlingham and attended the town’s Thomas Mills High School, told the ceremony: “Thank you very much.

“For me this is my favourite award show ... it definitely means the most to me.”

In addition to the Songwriter award, Ed also took the PRS For Music Most Performed Work, for Shape of You, written with Steve Mac and Johnny McDaid. Another of Ed’s singles from the Divide album, Castle on the Hill, had been nominated for the same award.

The Songwriter of the Year award was Ed’s third Ivor Novello after previous successes in 2011 and 2014.

He joins the likes of David Bowie, Eric Clapton and John Lennon, who have all won three or more of the awards.

Ed, who is currently involved in a film based around The Beatles, with scenes filmed around Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk, has stacked up an impressive array of industry awards in recent years.

Other notable titles include four Grammys Awards, six MTV awards, and three Q Awards.

The Ivors “celebrate, honour and reward” excellence in songwriting and composing.

Created by BASCA in 1956, they are named in honour of Ivor Novello, one of Britain’s most successful and distinguished theatrical composer at the time, and are said to represent the “pinnacle of musical achievement and peer recognition in the music industry”.

Other winners at this year’s awards included Stormzy, Lionel Richie and Elbow.

Stormzy, who beat Ed to two prizes at the Brit Awards in February, claimed the album of the year prize as he celebrated black music as “the popping thing right now”.

Later this month, another Suffolk singer, Christina Johnston, who attended Framlingham College, is up for another award. Christina, who has collaborated with Ed’s brother Matthew for a Christmas collection, said it was “an honour” to be up for The Sound of

Classical Poll for Classic BRITS.