Hearts have been given more time to pay their outstanding tax bill by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, lifting the immediate threat placed on them.

The Edinburgh club tonight said in a statement that they had been granted until December 3 to settle their debts, with their owed amount of £449,692,04 being split over two payments.

The club have also provided HMRC with assurances that future payments would be made in a "timeous manner".

Hearts were last Wednesday served with a winding-up petition and given eight days in which to pay what they owed, putting their future in severe danger.