Singer James Blunt fought off a burglar who broke into his hotel room by assaulting him with the Best Newcomer award he had just won.

Blunt woke to find a man in his room at the exclusive Martinez Hotel in Cannes, France, just hours after he was presented with the prize at the NRJ Radio Awards on 21 January (06).

He says, "It was pitch black in the room so I couldn't really seen anything.

"I was looking for a phone to ring downstairs, or for an emergency button to push, but the only thing I could find was my NRJ award.

"It's a big solid lump, so I picked it up and whacked him.

"He then threw himself off the balcony and ran away."

The YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL hitmaker is up for five more trophies at next month's (FEB06) Brit awards, including Best Male, Best Album and British Breakthrough.

He joked, "It would be good to win a Brit award - you never know when it may come in handy to use on burglars."