Elbow frontman Guy Garvey has joked that bookies have closed their books on the band winning this year's Mercury Music Prize.

The Manchester group are currently second favourite at 5/1 to win the accolade in London later for their latest album 'The Seldom Seen Kid'.

But Garvey said that a large bet from one of his friends has left bookmakers scared.

"The book's been closed on Elbow. My friend Saul got far too overexcited and tried to put five grand on us winning, which I told him not to do repeatedly,” he told the BBC.

"The bookies got nervous and now you can't get odds on us at all."

Producer Will Bevan, better known as Burial, is favourite to win the award, which will be handed out at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

(by Jason Gregory)