A COUNTY doctor who has returned from a search and rescue operation in Japan says he was comfortable being there despite the threat of nuclear disaster.

Dr Malcolm Russell, from Herefordshire based Mercia Accident Rescue Service (MARS), was working as part of the UK International Search and Rescue Team following the earthquake and tsumani.

He returned on Saturday night with the team desperate to carry on despite events at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

“One has to be concerned when there is a potential nuclear disaster down the coast but we were around 200km from there,” said Dr Russell.

“We were issued with personal radiation monitors which never detected any radiation.”

Dr Russell said that in addition to this the team had a well established evacuation plan by military helicopter.

The team went to a number of areas and in each one found large parts of towns washed away.

“What we found was absolutely enormous devastation.

Buildings were more or less scrubbed off the ground, while houses had been turned upsidedown,”

he added.

“We found a house on a railway line, cars on the top of buildings and dead fish everywhere. Steel framed warehouses were washed away and wrapped around buildings.”

Although the team did not managed to rescue any survivors, they succeeded in locating 10 bodies that were returned to loved ones.

à FOLLOWERS of martial arts will collect money in aid of victims of the Japanese Tsunami and earthquake.

Mark Morello, instructor of Ninjutsu at Kage Musha Dojo which meets in Hereford and Ross-on- Wye, is raising funds from students for the Japanese Red Cross tsunami appeal.

“This will affect everyone who is learning a Japanese martial art.

Lots of people are not going to be able to go over there to train,” said Mark.

Anybody wishing to donate can call 07787 427975.

à HEREFORD City Rotary Club raised more than £4,700 with a weekend collection for victims of the earthquake and tsunami.

The money was collected in High Town and at the city’s Co-operative supermarket.

Rotarians from three Hereford clubs, members of the Malvern Joggers and also a number of local residents, who have family and friends in Japan, collected the money.