Andrew Tinkler will have to pay over half of Stobart Group's legal costs following their High Court battle.

The group released an update to the London Stock Exchange on the ongoing legal proceedings with Mr Tinkler, its former chief executive, confirming he has to pay 55 per cent of the company’s legal costs relating to an 11-day trial last November.

Mr Tinkler was sacked from the board, in a row over his bid to unseat current chairman Iain Ferguson and replace him with his own nominee, North West entrepreneur Philip Day, the owner of Peacocks and Edinburgh Woollen Mill.

Bosses at Stobart Group claimed he was trying to destabilise the company and sued Mr Tinkler. They wanted a judge to rule he was lawfully dismissed.

Mr Tinkler, a former cabinet maker who led the business between 2007 and 2017, said he was removed for no good reason.

But Judge Jonathan Russen concluded the dismissal of the high-profile businessman by bosses at Stobart Group was a "lawful and valid act".

Claims put before the court included an allegation that Mr Tinkler claimed £4.5m-worth of expenses over three years but the judge rejected that claim in his ruling.

The judge also said there was no evidence – as claimed by Stobart directors – that Mr Tinkler had conspired with other businessmen to harm the company.

Mr Tinkler has applied for permission to appeal aspects of the judgement.

Separately, Mr Tinkler launched defamation proceedings against certain Stobart board members.

The Court of Appeal unanimously upheld a preliminary decision of the High Court which found that the words complained of were not sufficiently defamatory to give rise to an inference of serious harm under the Defamation Act 2013. The case continues in the High Court.

Mr Tinkler has been approached for comment.