A team of six Essex firefighters and rescue dog Darcy have been deployed to Nepal to assist with the earthquake recovery operation.

East Anglian Daily Times: Darcy the search and rescue dog helping firefighters search for people following an explosion in Clacton last year. Photo: ECFRSDarcy the search and rescue dog helping firefighters search for people following an explosion in Clacton last year. Photo: ECFRS (Image: Graham S Dean Photography)

The Department for International Development has deployed a team of more than 60 search and rescue responders and medical experts to Kathmandu following Saturday’s disaster.

An Essex County Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “The Essex team are travelling as part of the UKISAR team (UK International Search and Rescue) and are expected to land in Nepal on Monday, April 27, when rescue efforts will begin.

“The firefighters from Essex who specialise in ‘search and rescue’ have been deployed from their USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) base in Lexden, near Colchester.”

Search and rescue dog Darcy previously helped firefighters as she searched for any remaining people trapped in the rubble of a huge gas explosion in Clacton last year.