THREE members of ambulance staff are en-route to Nepal to assist in the humanitarian rescue operation following the devastating earthquake which is feared to have left more than 3,500 dead.

The three heading to Nepal are Dr Malcom Russell, paramedic Steve Watkins and Simon Greenfield, a HART paramedic, all from the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Dr Russell is a Medical Incident Officer, also a BASICS emergency doctor with Mercia Accident Rescue Service in Herefordshire.

He is also medical director, urban search and rescue medical team (UMT) of the UK International Search and Rescue team (UK ISAR).

He flew out yesterday (Sunday) along with a team of 67 fire-fighters / medics, four dogs and over a tonne of heavy rescue equipment.

He has experience of the Christchurch earthquake and Japanese tsunami.

Steve Watkins is a Stoke-based paramedic, a member of the S.A.R.A.I.D (Search and Rescue Assistance In Disasters) and is currently en-route to Nepal. He flew out from Heathrow yesterday (Sunday).

Simon Greenfield is a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) paramedic based at Oldbury and is ideally placed to provide assistance as part of his training is working in confined spaces and collapsed buildings.

He is going out with Humanity First Medical who provide medical teams to disasters and is due to fly out today (Monday).

Trust chief executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “Our good wishes go with all three of them as they go into what will undoubtedly be an horrific scene.

“They will, as part of the relief effort, be able to provide invaluable assistance to local communities in the stricken areas.

“As a trust we are pleased to be able to release these staff, who have specialist training, to be part of these organised humanitarian response teams.”

The Bishop of Worcester John Inge said: "The tragedy that has killed so many and blighted the lives of even more people in Nepal is deeply shocking.

"My thoughts and prayers are with all who have been injured and lost homes and loved ones. I hope that people in this country will want to give generously to alleviate suffering.”

Robin Walker, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Worcester, said he had shown new recruits from the Nepalese Gurkhas around the Houses of Parliament for the last few years and said that Britain and Nepal had close links.

He said: "Every year I have welcomed the Gurkha regiment to Parliament. There is a long-standing connection between our country and the Gurkhas.

"We do owe it to these people to do all we can to help Nepal. Gurkhas have served alongside British troops in both World Wars and the Falklands and more recent conflicts. We have a good reason to be involved when something terrible like this happens."

Mr Walker explained to them about British democracy and he said they all expressed an interest in the subject because they do not come from a democratic country.

West Worcestershire conservative candidate Harriett Baldwin said: “It is terrible news to hear of the increasing death toll in Nepal and my thoughts go out to local people who have friends or family in the region who have been affected by the disaster."

Communication problems in the worst-affected areas mean families and friends around the world are still anxiously waiting for news of their loved one, with dozens of British and Irish people among those missing.

An RAF plane packed with supplies has been dispatched to the crisis zone, while charity workers, experts and fire fighters from across the UK have already begun the search for survivors. They took with them more than 11 tonnes of kit, including torches, axes, rope, search cameras, stretchers and tents.

Some 67 fire fighters from the International Search and Rescue Team (UKISAR) are among those helping.

An RAF plane was due to touch down today (Monday), having left the UK nearly 12 hours earlier as the rescue mission and relief effort gathered pace.

It came as emergency services in Nepal said some 3,617 people have now died in the disaster, with many thousands more injured.

The Foreign Office said it had not received reports of any Britons being killed or injured but embassy staff had assisted 200 people.

A total of 90 British and Irish-born people are among the missing, according to a website set up for the families by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The 7.8-magnitude quake struck just before midday on Saturday, sending tremors through the Kathmandu Valley and the nearby city of Pokhara.

The majority of deaths were reported in Nepal, with deaths also being confirmed in India, Tibet, Bangladesh and the Nepal-China border.

The quake also set in motion an avalanche which swept the face of Everest, killing at least 17 people and injuring 61, government officials said.