West Kilbride violin virtuoso Nicola Benedetti has finally picked up her first Classical Brit Award - but admits she had to really put her back into it.

Despite the 20-year-old beauty being nominated on five previous occasions, the title of "Best Young British Classical Performer" was her first ever win at the prestigious awards ceremony.

It was also her third nomination in the category, finally proving third time lucky and adding to an amazing haul of awards since she burst onto the classical music scene with the title of BBC"s "Young Musician of the Year" in 2004.

A delighted Nicola said: 'I"ve been nominated many times, and it"s something that I"m really proud of. It"s nice that other people are appreciating what I"ve done.' However, following the announcement of the top accolade, Nicola revealed how years of playing had taken a severe toll on her health.

Earlier this year, she was forced to pull out of a US tour and two UK shows because of a back injury, complaining that the excruciating pain was impacting on her hectic worldwide schedule.

Immediately after the Brits ceremony Nicola flew to Spain to perform, but revealed: 'There"s a disc in my back which is slightly misplaced. I"ve been told many times exactly what happened, but I can"t remember the terminology.

'I do know that it"s something that was incredibly, incredibly painful and since the start of the year, it has happened three or four times.

'My muscle goes into a spasm and for the following three weeks it would be very stiff and I have to be very careful.

'I"ve been seeing someone in London about it and it"s, hopefully, getting better but it happened again very recently before my last trip to the States, and I had to delay my journey.

'I eventually managed to get there to play but it"s a little bit disturbing.' Nicola - whose dad is millionaire businessman Gio Benedetti - said: 'It will definitely have something to do with my lifestyle, including the hours of practice every day, the unnatural position of the violin, travelling and carrying things, always with a violin case on my back and a heavy bag, and a lot of flights where you"re just sitting around. A lot of these things all coming together, it definitely plays a part.

'But to be honest I think it must be a mixture of that and just general things about my posture that are there innately.

'The first time it happened, I had slightly twisted my foot in the street and it didn"t even hurt.

'But half an hour later my whole back seized up. I must have done something that I didn"t realise at the time, but ever since then it"s been fragile.' She also revealed that she aimed to give herself time off in the next few years to study Italian and have 'time for myself that performing has held me back from'.

Nicola, concluded: 'If I put more work in at this end, then by the time I"m 26 or 27 I"ll be able to relax a little more.'