THREE Scots oil workers have been released after being held hostage for days on an oil rig in Iraq.

A father-of-three and two Aberdeen University graduates were among 120 staff held after the HKN Energy rig was boarded by an armed gang who then demanded a $1 million (£656,000) ransom.

The armed group forced the workers to shut down the onshore rig in Kurdistan, on the Turkish border, on Friday. Two other Britons were on board.

The Foreign Office confirmed all five hostages have been freed.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "I can confirm that five Brits were caught up in the situation and at least one of them is from north-east Scotland.

"We understand the situation has now been resolved.

"We wouldn't be able to comment on whether any money was exchanged. When it comes to payments the British Government does not comment."

The 54-year-old wife of one of the hostages, father-of-three Brock Fettes from Insch, Aberdeenshire, spoke of her relief.

Rosie Wilson-Leagas said: "It's good news. He was concerned. It's stressful when you want to leave somewhere and you can't.

"He's not due home for another 10 days so I don't know whether or not he'll come home now or then.

"I last spoke to him yesterday evening and he was doing fine. They've managed to keep everything as normal as they can."

Her husband said that two graduates from Aberdeen University, who are working as consultants for the HKN oil firm, were also taken captive.

Ms Wilson-Leagas said she learned of the hostage situation in an email.

She said: "Brock said that there were people down the road with guns, but that he was safe. He told me some of the locals had stopped supplies and people coming in and out.

"But the thing about Iraq is that all local people are armed and you just have to stay calm.

"A few years ago there was a situation where people were firing at each other, but none of the workers were hurt and I believe no-one has been hurt in this incident either.

"Everyone says that Kurdistan is safe. This is proving it is not as safe as everyone thought."

Three months ago, 32 al Qaeda terrorists took hold of a gas plant in Algeria, and killed 37 foreign hostages in the process, including two with Scots connections, before Algerian soldiers retook the gas plant days later

Speaking from the oil rig before his rescue, Mr Fettes, 65, a Schlumberger engineer, who has worked in the region for about four years, said he was concerned there would be copycat incidents if the ransom was paid.

He said: "My concern is this happening again. If they get paid off this time, it will become the national sport for villagers to target oil rigs.

He said "local villagers" who were heavily armed forced the rig to shut down.

He said: "They have taken over the checkpoint leading to the rig, which is about 1500ft away, and they are not allowing any workers in or out.

"They are demanding money from the oil company. The situation will obviously be resolved if they pay them but we are being held hostage. This is one of the safer parts of Iraq but it is still fairly lawless. The locals control the area."

On Sunday, he said the workers had enough food, water and diesel to last for three or four more days.

Mrs Wilson-Leagas said her husband was close to retiring and was used to working in hostile environments.

She said: "About 10 years he was working in Iran, and we all even went out to visit him. There were no issues with needing armed guards.

"In Kurdistan they always get a convoy of armed guards to take them off the rig and to the airport. He has been working there for about four years now."