Devon, new guitars...

Devon rockers Muse have continued their rapid rise to fame after becoming the only British act to triumph at the MTV Europe Music Awards. The Teignmouth band walked away with the prestigious Best Alternative Act award.

The success has been welcomed by the band's old school in Teignmouth and city guitar shop Mansons, which still makes much of the band's equipment.

The school's drama teacher, Chris Dryden, said: "It's great to see them going from strength to strength. "We are very pleased for them and wish them the very best. We are also very grateful to them for all the equipment they donated to us when they came to open the arts centre here," she added.

Hugh Manson, of Mansons guitar shop, Exeter, builds guitars for front man Matt Bellamy. He is currently building three new ones, possibly for the band's gigs in London's Earl's Court next month. He said: "It's just fantastic news. Now they need to break into America. I think they will be the new U2, they are there for the duration. It's nice to make guitars for people who appreciate them and use them in the manner for which they are intended. It's taken a month for me to make the guitar for Matt that is being picked up today.

"His guitars have very sophisticated complex electronics and its great that he is pioneering that style." Despite being voted for exclusively by European TV viewers, American stars snatched almost all the awards at the glittering ceremony in Rome held last Thursday.

Muse singer Matt Bellamy, when asked about how he felt about the fact that American stars won 11 out of the 12 awards going, said: "There needs to be more European bands, that's all I'm saying." British acts like Robbie Williams, Jamelia, Dido, The Streets and Franz Ferdinand had all been up for awards but walked away with nothing. US band OutKast emerged as the big winners of the awards with Best Song and Best Video for Hey Ya!