Ewan McGregor with his wife Eve

The Daily Record and The Sun newspapers, photographer Jason Fraser, and his company Fraser Woodward Ltd all contributed to the undisclosed figure.

An injunction against French photograph agency Eliot Press obtained last November also remains intact.

McGregor's publicist said the family are delighted. The action concerned photographs taken in Mauritius in 2002.

The actor won the original High Court injunction in November 2003.

The Trainspotting star was represented by his solicitor Mark Thompson of Carter-Ruck and Partners.

Nigel Tait, a partner at the firm, said the case demonstrated the options open to public figures who are targeted by paparazzi photographers.

Scathing

"With the benefit of European court decisions, people in the public eye are going to appreciate they can take steps to protect their privacy even in public places," he said.

"It's very distressing for some of our clients to be followed by a pack of photographers - we all have the right to relax and you can't do that when you are surrounded by paparazzi."

McGregor launched a blistering verbal attack on the paparazzi last year, saying: "They shouldn't be shot, but they should be severely beaten up."

He saved particular venom for celebrity magazine Heat, after it published pictures of his daughter Esther Rose, calling it "filthy".

He took legal action after a general request not to publish pictures of his children was ignored by the media.