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The top three executives at internet search giant Google claimed salaries of just $1 (50p) in 2006, accounts filed by the company have shown.

However, with the combined value of their shares in the rapidly growing online firm reaching $31.5 billion (£15.9 billion) by the end of the year, Google's two founders and current chief executive are far from being left out of pocket.

It is the third year in a row that Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have drawn a nominal salary alongside the company's chief Eric Schmidt.

Documents filed with the US securities and exchange commission show that in addition to the billions the trio have accumulated in shares since Google's debut on the stock market two-and-a-half years ago, substantial bonuses were also awarded to the executives last year.

The three men each drew holiday bonuses of $1,723 (£873), although Mr Brin, Google's head of technology did not receive any further "compensation".

Meanwhile, Google co-founder Mr Page received further bonuses worth a total of $36,795 (£18,644), while Mr Schmidt received $555,742 (£281,595), with much of the money awarded to both men going towards the cost of financing personal security arrangements.

Mr Schmidt, who also had the use of Google's corporate jet over the year, held shares in the company worth $4.9 billion (£2.5 billion) by the end of 2006, according to the accounts.

The documents show that Mr Brin's shares were worth $13.2 billion (£6.7 billion), while Mr Page's were worth $13.4 billion (£6.8 billion).

Google, which was developed by the pair during their time at university in the late 1990s, last year expanded further following its controversial entry into the Chinese market and its acquisition of the popular video-sharing website YouTube.