Royal Navy helicopters from RNAS Culdrose, in Helston, have flown more than 10,000 miles over Sierra Leone in the fight against Ebola.

Using support ship RFA Argus as their base, the three helicopters have spent more than nine days in the skies, over 210 hours, delivering supplies, food, stores and people.

For the mission in Sierra Leone, codenamed Operation Gritrock, the helicopters are effectively being used as “flying trucks,” slinging loads in huge nets beneath them containing several tonnes of desperately-needed aid.

They have flown three dozen sorties to date in support of the British Government’s £230 million effort to deal with the disease in Sierra Leone.