11:34am UK, Thursday May 15, 2008

Showbiz stars Hugh Grant, Liz Hurley and her husband Arun Nayur have accepted £58,000 damages for invasion of privacy over photos taken while they were on holiday.

Arun Nayur and Liz Hurley

The secret snaps were taken by photographic agency Eliot Press Sarl while the trio were in a private resort in the Maldives in October last year.

The French agency passed them on to London based picture agency Big Pictures, which then sold them to the News of the World and Mail on Sunday.

The News of the World published them under the headline "Liz does the blokey-cokey" and in the Mail on Sunday under the words "Hugh's that gooseberry?"

None of the stars were at London's High Court for the settlement, but their solicitor, Laura Tyler, told a judge that the photos were "taken covertly" without their knowledge.

She said they were in a resort which they had chosen for the complete privacy and seclusion it offered.

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

The photographic agencies had apologised unequivocally and had agreed to pay some of the claimants' legal costs, Ms Tyler added.

The damages will be paid by Big Pictures (UK) Ltd and Eliot Press SARL, with contributions from Associated Newspapers and News Group Newspapers.