FIREFIGHTERS from West Midlands Fire Service deployed to help with international search and rescue efforts in Nepal have now returned home.

Firefighter Dave Haywood, from Stourbridge Fire Station, and Bickenhill station commander Dean Harris, who lives in Stourbridge, were among nine West Midlands firefighters who were deployed on April 26 as part of a UK International Search and Rescue mission to help after the 7.9 quake struck 80k northwest of Nepal's capital Kathmandu a day earlier.

Three members of staff from West Midlands Ambulance Service, including Oldbury based Hazardous Area Response Team paramedic Simon Greenfield, were also among the rescuers sent out to the disaster zone where thousands have died.

The team, deployed by the Department for International Development, flew back into London’s Heathrow Airport today (Wednesday), a spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service confirmed, and they have since been welcomed home to the West Midlands by Deputy Chief Fire Officer Phil Hales, who said: “Our sympathies and thoughts remain with the people of Nepal. We are pleased to have been able to help them at this time of need, and proud to welcome home our highly-skilled and dedicated team."

An incident command room in Birmingham, run by West Midlands Fire Service, has been co-ordinating the entire UK search and rescue mission in Nepal.