Tim Berners-Lee said the award was an 'amazing honour'
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The inventor of the world wide web has been named Greatest Briton 2004 at a ceremony attended by Gordon Brown.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who developed the web in the late 1980s, said he was just "in the right place at the right time".
Accepting his award and £25,000 at the Royal Courts of Justice, Sir Tim said it was an "amazing honour".
Six other Britons, including Olympic gold medallist Kelly Holmes and fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, were also given awards at the ceremony.
The seven were given titles in fields such as the arts, science, business and public service.
On receiving his award on Thursday, Sir Tim said: "I have won awards for computers but I have never won an award for being British.
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GREATEST BRITONS 2004
Tim Berners-Lee, scientist - science and overall winner
Kelly Holmes, runner - sport
Sir Paul Smith, fashion designer - business
Philip Pullman, author - arts
Lord Norman Foster, architect - creative business
Jane Tomlinson, fundraiser - campaigning
Lord Bill Deedes, journalist - public service
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"I am very proud to be British, it is great fun to be British and this award is just an amazing honour."
Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, was awarded Greatest Briton in the Arts, and fashion designer Sir Paul Smith was named as Greatest Briton in Business.
In his opening speech, the chancellor hailed the power of "Britishness" and said he was humbled by the list of achievements.
"There is a real calibre of people who make our country great and proud to be British," he said.
Other awards went to Lord Norman Foster, the British architect behind the Millennium Bridge, and terminal cancer sufferer Jane Tomlinson.
Mrs Tomlinson, who has completed three London marathons raising money for charity, said she was shocked to receive her award.
"I never expected to win - we just came down here because I was nominated, but it has been such a lovely night."
Veteran journalist Lord Bill Deedes, still UK ambassador for Unicef at the age of 91, won the Public Service category.
He said the ceremony was important to help restore pride in Britain.
"The importance of this contest is to try to restore in people's minds the idea of Britain.
"We should all be proud of being British."
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