A cancer research team has beaten hundreds of specialists from across Europe to scoop a prestigious prize.

Professor Alan Lehmann, based at Sussex University, has been awarded the Descartes Prize for discovering a gene that could hold the key to a cure for skin cancer.

Professor Lehmann, 54, and his team have identified a gene called XPD, which when faulty can result in three different hereditary diseases.

The gene is central to understanding the condition xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), which leaves people with 2,000 times the normal risk of developing skin cancer.

The faulty gene is also linked to other conditions which make sufferers sensitive to the sun and cause severe physical and mental retardation.

Professor Lehmann's work involves beaming ultraviolet light on to skin cells and examining their DNA for damage.

The discovery of the gene not only reveals why some people are more prone to skin cancer than others, but also sheds light on the skin ageing process.

Professor Lehmann's project is being researched with teams from The Italian National Research Council in Pavia, Erasmus University in Rotterdam and the CNRS Research Institute in Strasbourg.

The award honours European collaborative work in the science world, and winners receive about £40,000.

The XPD gene team was one of eight shortlisted finalists who went to Brussels for the award ceremony.

Professor Lehmann, of Montacute Road, Lewes, said: "We have toiled hard on this project for ten years, so it is extremely important to receive recognition for this."