Belfast-born author Lucy Caldwell has scooped the 2011 Dylan Thomas Prize for her novel The Meeting Point.

Caldwell was presented with the £30,000 prize at a ceremony in Swansea, Dylan Thomas' birthplace, last night. The Meeting Point is the London-based author's second novel.

2011 Dylan Thomas Prize winner Lucy Caldwell

The founder of the prize, professor Peter Stead, said: "The Meeting Point is a lyrical modern day parable set in Bahrain depicting the crises in the faith and marriage of an Irish woman and her relationship with a troubled Muslim teenager.

"It is a beautifully written and mature reflection on identity, loyalty and belief in a complex world."

Caldwell beat four other shortlisted authors to the prestigious prize: New Yorkers Benjamin Hale and Tea Obreht, Yorkshire-based first-time novelist Annabel Pitcher and Canadian poet Jacob McArthur Mooney.

For more on the news read the article on the BBC Wales News website and visit www.dylanthomasprize.com.