A TELEVISION drama telling the tragic story of teenager Sophie Lancaster has won a BAFTA award.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts named BBC Three's 'Murdered for Being Different' as the best single TV drama of 2017 at a glittering awards ceremony on Sunday night.

The film showed how the 20-year-old from Haslingden was beaten to death by a gang because she dressed as a Goth.

Her boyfriend Robert Maltby, who worked with the team on the film, was also severely beaten during the incident in Stubbylee Park, Bacup in 2007.

He said after winning the award: "I felt I had to be involved. I am really happy that people art interested and engaged with this film."

The factual drama, filmed 10 years after Sophie's death, was produced with the full backing of her family and the police investigators..

Aysha Rafaele, the Creative Director of BBC Studios’ Documentary Unit told an audience packed full of TV, theatre and film stars at London's Royal Festival Hall: "It 's our duty and our privilege as film makers to not look away from the dark corners in our society."

Thanking Mr Maltby and Sophie's mother Sylvia for the bravery, help and support in 'allowing us to shine a light on this most terrible of crime's, she said: "Sadly since Sophie's death hate crime in this country has continued to rise and rise."

Writer Mick Leather said he was 'proud' to have been involved' in the film.

It starred Abigail Lawrie, known for The Casual Vacancy, as Sophie and My Mad Fat Diary star Nico Mirallegro as Robert.

Sally Lindsay, Shelley in Coronation Street, played Sylvia and Chris Coghill, from Eastenders played Rob's dad.

Among the other nominations was the BBC Two drama King Charles III starring the late Tim Pigott-Smith.

It was the second time Sophie's story has been told on screen after a play Black Roses: The Killing Of Sophie Lancaster which starred Accrington actress Julie Hesmondhalgh and poems by Simon Armitage was adapted for BBC4 in 2015.

Her story was also the focus of a Channel 5 documentary 'When Kids Kill' .