A FIREFIGHTER from Knutsford has set off to help in the aftermath of Saturday’s devastating earthquake in Nepal.

More than 3,800 people are known to have died in the 7.8-magnitide earthquake, and more than 6,500 people were injured.

Dozens of people are also reported to have been killed in China and India, and hundreds of climbers have been rescued around Mount Everest after the earthquake triggered avalanches.

The earthquake struck an area between the capital Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara, and Cheshire firefighters and a rescue dog are joining a 67-strong International Search and Rescue Team, which was on its way this week to Nepal to help with a search and rescue mission.

Steve Buckley, an on-call firefighter at Knutsford Fire Station, and the search and rescue dog, Bryn, will be joined by colleagues from across the county.

The group is made up of Mark Coleman and Stuart Deveraux, who are based at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service headquarters in Winsford, Alexander Hayes from Crewe Fire Station and John Turner and Daz Tennant from Chester Fire Station.

On Monday the team were in Delhi, India, awaiting transport into Nepal, which has been severely disrupted by the earthquake, and were expected to reach their destination yesterday.

Paul Hancock, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, said: “Our thoughts are with the Nepalese people at this tragic time.

“I wish the Cheshire team and all the other search and rescue staff the very best of luck during this challenging mission.”

The United Kingdom International Search and Rescue Team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to humanitarian accidents or disasters anywhere in the world. Team members volunteer their services.