Freed hostages Paul and Rachel Chandler have sold the story of how they were kidnapped by Somali pirates in a deal worth an estimated £500,000.

In a statement released, the retired couple, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, said they had opted to give interviews with one broadcaster and one newspaper.

The price agreed has not been divulged. But PR expert Max Clifford said he believed the story was worth around half a million pounds.

The Chandlers said the money would go towards repaying “certain immediate debts” resulting from their “unfortunate and troubling episode”.

The couple were freed earlier this month after more than a year in captivity during which they were beaten by their captors.

A ransom, reportedly paid by a mixture of private investors and the Somali government, secured their release and ended the 388-day ordeal.

In the statement, the Chandlers said that they had sold their story to recoup some of the costs they have incurred.

The price of the Chandlers’ story is rumoured to be a six-figure sum.

In the statement, the Chandlers also thanked the British media for adhering to a High Court injunction preventing it from reporting their movements until they had been transported to a safe place.

“We will never know the part your support played in the eventual release but after the 10 weeks of the injunction we were free which is justification enough for it being in place,” the Chandlers said.

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