Cello-playing comedian Rebecca Carrington has won Switzerland’s equivalent of the Perrier award – becoming both the first English act and the first solo woman to do so.

The multi-lingual comic, who performs spoofs of everything to Britney Spears to Bollywood on her 18th century cello, scooped the Schneestern – or Snow Star - Prize at the Swiss Arosa Humorfestival.

The annual nine-day event is held in a 950-seater tent high in the Alps and is one of the biggest events in German-language comedy.

About 10,500 people visited the 10-day event, which hosted about 70 acts from 11 nations. The Schneestern award is chosen by a combination of audience votes and judges who work for the festival.

Writing on her website, Carrington said: ‘I feel very honoured to be awarded – and believe it means I may be invited back to the festival next year.’

‘I have never performed at such a high altitude before, in the depths of snow, but after getting used to the dryness and cold – drinking lots of vodka! – I settled into the show.

‘Joe [the cello] and I were amazed at the reception the lovely Swiss people of the Arosa Festival gave us.’