AIRCREWS and personnel from RAF Lyneham have been dispatched to the Sri Lankan capital Columbo to help with the international aid effort.

Hercules transport planes from the Wilt-shire base have flown to the Indian Ocean island to carry aid and equipment to the ravaged island.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed that a C-17 to Bandar Aceh and a C-130 to Colombo had been sent.

"They are both supporting United Nations aid efforts rather than a UK aid effort, and are carrying out a recce to scope the requirements of the operation," said a defence spokesman

On Sunday a massive C-17 transport plane from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire arrived in Indonesia with 50 tonnes of aid.

Personnel from RAF Lyneham were on board including Senior Aircraftsman Tom Ellorry and Sgt Dave Wilson to help unload the humanitarian aid parcels and equipment.

The aircraft returned to Penang Airport in Malaysia to load more aid.

Two British military liaison and reconnaissance teams have also been deployed one to Colombo and the second to Indonesian capital Jakarta.

Hercules aircraft and crews from Lyneham have previously flown to West Africa to drop aid supplies to help victims of famines.

During the early 1990s crews flew in aid to Sarajevo in the former Yugoslavia.

l A deal on debt relief for countries hit by the Asian tsunami disaster could be secured within weeks, the Treasury said today.

The Government says it will use its presidency of the G8 group of industrialised nations to push for the deal.

Officials said an agreement on a long-term package of assistance could be announced within weeks.

Such an announcement could come at a meeting of the "Paris Club" of creditor countries later this month.

Germany has already said it would propose a debt moratorium for Indonesia and Somalia. And France is also thought to support the plan. US President George Bush said he was open to all requests for aid, including Germany's proposal.

The British Government looks set to increase its aid. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the Government was almost certain to match the £60m of public donations. The Government has already committed £50m.

Anthony Osborne