Liz Hurley, her former partner Hugh Grant, and her husband Arun Nayar today accepted £58,000 damages for invasion of privacy over photos taken of them while they were on holiday in a private resort in the Maldives.

None of the three were at London's High Court for the settlement of their action against Big Pictures (UK) Ltd and Eliot Press SARL, who will pay the compensation with contributions from Associated Newspapers and News Group Newspapers.

Acting for the model, her businessman husband and actor Grant, Laura Tyler told Mr Justice Eady that the photos were taken covertly without their knowledge while they were on holiday in a resort which they had chosen for the privacy and seclusion it offered.

"It has been most upsetting for the claimants to have their privacy invaded by these defendants," she said.

Matthew Nicklin, counsel for the agencies, said that they offered their apologies for any distress which they may have caused.

The photographs were obtained by Eliot Press in October 2007, who granted London-based Big Pictures the right to sell them in the UK and Ireland.

Big Pictures then supplied the photos to News Group Newspapers and Associated Newspapers.

Ms Tyler said that News Group published three of the photos in News of the World and online in an article headed "Liz does the blokey-cokey".

Associated published four photos in The Mail on Sunday and online in an article headed "Hugh's that gooseberry?".

Ms Tyler said that the agencies had accepted that the photos should not have been taken and that their actions invaded the claimants' privacy.

Last year, Grant won a libel case against the Mail on Sunday and the Daily Mail over false allegations, including that his intention to attend Hurley's wedding had put a strain on his relationship with then girlfriend Jemima Khan.

Hurley’s continuing friendship with Four Weddings and A Funeral star Grant has been a preoccupation for celebrity watchers. The pair spent 13 years together, weathering the media storm following Grant’s arrest for lewd conduct alongside prostitute Divine Brown, but split in 2000.

They have remained close, despite Hurley marrying Nayar in March 2007.

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