ROCK star Peter Doherty failed to show up at one of the biggest awards in the music calendar - when his mother phoned in sick.
The singer, who went into rehab nine days ago, was expected to perform at the NME Awards.

But Doherty, 25, who is due in court charged with robbery and blackmail on Monday (February 21) stayed in the clinic where he has been trying to fight his addiction to drugs after his mum Jacqueline rang organisers an hour before stars began arriving on the red carpet to say he was unwell.

Meanwhile Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand extended their winning streak when they scooped two major titles at the awards.

After claiming Best Album and Best Track Titles, the band entered the history books as the first to win the Mercury Music Prize, Brit and NME Awards in a year.

Doherty, who has been linked to supermodel Kate Moss had even more bad news when his former band The Libertines won the highly sought after Best British Band title while the singer's new incarnation Babyshambles failed to win a thing.

Doherty was thrown out of The Libertines last year when his drug habit spiralled out of control and the band's co-founder Carl Barat, who also did not make tonight's event, is the new front man.

It is not the first time that Doherty's mother has made excuses for the rock star. She wrote a letter last year pleading with BBC Newsnight to not be too hard with her son in an interview about his addiction, saying he was trying to address his problems.

Despite being more than twice the age of some of the members of the rock bands it was 62-year-old Sir Paul McCartney who was one of the highlights of the event when he collected the award for Best Festival with Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis.

John Peel, the legendary Radio One DJ, who died last year at the age of 65, was named winner of the Special Award for Lifelong Service to Music at the ceremony in London's Hammersmith Palais.

Devon trio Muse won the Best Live Band category - in which nominees The Libertines and Babyshambles had gone head-to-head - and Las Vegas band The Killers won Best International Band over the the Scissor Sisters and U2.

London outfit Razorlight won Best New Band, while singer and former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon beat ex-Stone Roses front man Ian Brown, rapper Eminem, and singers Morrisey and The Streets to Best Solo Artist.

Legendary Manchester band New Order took the Godlike Genius award.

The John Peel award for Musical Innovation went to London band The Others, who penned one of their tracks in tribute to Doherty.

Kaiser Chiefs, the five-piece band from Leeds, were given this year's Philip Hall Radar award for new bands.

NME editor Conor McNicholas said of the awards, voted for by music lovers: 'Franz have had an amazing year. It's great to see them finishing their year where they started with another win at the NME Awards.

'Last year they were NME's hottest new band, now they are the kings of the scene and the nation have taken them to their hearts.'

He added: '2004 was an amazing year for British music, 2005 is going to be even better.' The winners in full were:

Best Radio Show - Zane Lowe (Radio 1)

Best Solo Artist - Graham Coxon

Best Live Band - Muse

Best Track - Franz Ferdinand - 'Take Me Out'

Best Video - Green Day - 'American Idiot'

Best New Band - Razorlight

Special Award for Lifelong Service To Music - John Peel

John Peel Award for Musical Innovation - The Others

Best Film - Shaun Of The Dead

Best Music DVD - Oasis - 'Definitely Maybe'

Best International Band - The Killers

Best TV Show - Little Britain

Philip Hall Radar Award - Kaiser Chiefs

Best Album - Franz Ferdinand - 'Franz Ferdinand'

Best Event - Glastonbury

Best British Band - The Libertines

Godlike Genius Award - New Order

Tweet