RAF personnel have begun delivering aid to flood victims in the Thames Valley area as part of a cross Government and multi agency relief effort.

A total of 233 airmen and women travelled from their home base at RAF Honington to Berkshire in a convoy of 40 vehicles to carry out the task on Tuesday.

The personnel took up temporary accommodation at Combermere Barracks, Windsor - the home of the Army's Household Cavalry - before II Squadron, RAF Regiment, and other station units swung into action getting help where it was most needed.

II Squadron second-in-command Flight Lieutenant Matt Shutler said: 'It is early days yet, but we hope that we have made some impact in our first full day of operations and are reassuring the community that we are here to assist them.'

Yesterday, RAF Regiment personnel, known as 'Gunners,' began reconnaissance patrols to get to know the community they are assisting, which is in the Army's 145 Brigade area, and stretches from Windsor to Maidenhead and encompasses the River Thames at Henley.

Frank and Jackie Guttfield were two residents to benefit from the RAF's help, after becoming concerned that their home might sustain flood damage.

Mr Guttfield (74) said|: 'I think it's great that the RAF are here making us feel safer. It is such a relief to know that the Armed Forces are out there looking after us.'

More than 1,650 personnel from all three Armed Services have been located at a variety of locations across the south of the UK at high readiness to receive taskings as required.

If you know someone in the home counties who has been helped by crews from Norfolk or Suffolk, let us know by emailing newsdesk@archant.co.uk