Kate Winslet has accepted £25,000 libel damages over a claim that she publicly lied about her exercise regime.

The 34-year-old Oscar-winning actress was not at London's High Court for the settlement of her action against Associated Newspapers.

Her solicitor, Rachel Atkins, told Mr Justice Eady that she had sued over an article entitled "Should Kate Winslet win an Oscar for the world's most irritating actress?", which appeared in the Daily Mail in January.

Ms Atkins said the story, which was accompanied by several naked photographs of the actress in various films, was offensive in tone.

She said: "The claimant has frequently asserted the right of women to accept the way that they look and by accusing her of trying to mislead the public, the defendant caused her a great deal of distress. It was simply not true."

She added that the newspaper published an apology in September, accepting that Winslet had not been duplicitous, and had agreed to pay the damages and costs.

A statement issued by the actress said: "I am delighted that the Mail have apologised for making false allegations about me.

"I was particularly upset to be accused of lying about my exercise regime and felt that I had a responsibility to request an apology in order to demonstrate my commitment to the views that I have always expressed about body issues, including diet and exercise.

"I strongly believe that women should be encouraged to accept themselves as they are, so to suggest that I was lying was an unacceptable accusation of hypocrisy."

Winslet's law firm, Schillings, said the actress had set a new precedent in libel law with her successful action.