Britain has walked away almost empty-handed from the Oscars, as the glory went to Clint Eastwood and his boxing movie Million Dollar Baby.

British hopefuls Kate Winslet, 29, and Imelda Staunton, 49, both lost out to Hilary Swank when she won best actress for her portrayal of a determined boxer in the same film.

Eastwood, 74, who is the director as well as the star of the movie, won best picture, eclipsing The Aviator. It was a glorious night for the Dirty Harry star, who also took best director.

The man who had been tipped to win the award was The Aviator's Martin Scorsese, regarded as the best director never to have won an Oscar.

Eastwood's win was also bad news for another British contender in the best director title, Vera Drake director Mike Leigh.

Coventry-born star Clive Owen had been nominated in the best supporting actor category for Closer, but Morgan Freeman, passed over at the Oscars three times previously, was always a favourite

for his role as a gym manager in Eastwood's film.

Despite winning more Academy Awards than its rivals, The Aviator missed out on the biggest categories, such as best director and best movie, in which it had been expected to do well.

Australian actress Cate Blanchett won The Aviator its most high-profile award when she was named best supporting actress for her role as Katharine Hepburn, pipping British Hotel Rwanda star Sophie Okonedo in the process.

Jamie Foxx, a favourite from the outset, took the gong for best actor for his portrayal of the late blind musician Ray Charles in the film, Ray.

He is only the third black actor, after Denzel Washington and Sidney Poitier, to take the best actor in a leading role Oscar.

His win left The Aviator's star, Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays the legendary billionaire industrialist and film mogul Howard Hughes, disappointed.

The British names that came away successful from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre represented far less high-profile categories.

Andrea Arnold won best live action short film for Wasp, a tale about a single mother living with four children in Arnold's hometown of Dartford.

London-born Sandy Powell won the costume design award for The Aviator.