The owner of a 17,000-tonne oil rig which grounded in Scotland has paid the coastguard £400,000.

The Transocean Winner was being towed to Malta for scrapping when it broke free during a storm in August 2016 and beached on Lewis.

It was towed free two weeks later and was eventually carried away from Scotland on the back of a 60,000-tonne transport ship.

The operation cost Transocean £17m and severely cut the Swiss firm's profits.

It has now paid the Maritime and Coastguard Agency a further £400,000 to cover its costs, including the use of search and rescue helicopters.

The Scottish Government is seeking £90,000 from Transocean and Police Scotland may also bill the company for its time.

The Transocean Winner was being towed from Norway to Malta when it broke free from the tugboat Alp Forward and crashed into the shore at Dalmore Bay, near Carloway.

Two of its four fuel tanks ruptured in the collision and spilled about 53,000 litres of diesel into the sea.

Most of the pollution is believed to have dispersed harmlessly, but the damage suffered by the rig meant it was too hazardous to attempt a second tow.

Instead the Winner was lifted onto the back of the colossal OHT Hawk and carried to Turkey, where it is now being dismantled.

A spokeswoman for Transocean said: "Transocean appreciates all of those who provided assistance last summer, most especially the Isle of Lewis residents, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the secretary of state's representative for maritime salvage and intervention and the local communities.

"Transocean continues to conduct regular surveys and inspections of the beach and grounding site, where no pollution has been detected.

"We will continue to meet our responsibilities arising out of this incident."

A Scottish Government spokesman added: "We are seeking to recover costs of around £90,000 to ensure taxpayers in Scotland do not lose out as a result of this incident."