Peel Ports will pay shareholders a total dividend pot of over £150 million this year

Manx resident John Whittaker's company will pay shareholders a total dividend pot of £153.9 million this year.

Peel Ports' latest company accounts saw pre-tax profits fall from £397.3 million to £141.6 million, with turnover dropping from £696.3 million to £693.7 million.

The company, based in Liverpool, operates in Glasgow, London, Manchester and Dublin - Mr Whittaker's Peel Group owns a 68 per cent stake in it.

Figures in the accounts show Peel Ports spent more than £208 million on building projects last year.