Many hundreds are trapped

Twenty-two men and one woman from the International Rescue Corps (IRC) were joined on a government-chartered flight from Stansted Airport by another 10 men and two women from the Gloucestershire-based charity Rapid UK - Rescue And Preparedness In Disasters.

Britain had also sent 42 firefighters and two dogs.

Wednesday's earthquake killed at least 1,092 and injured 6,782 more.

But with hundreds still unaccounted for officials are warning the death toll is certain to climb.

The earthquake measured 6.7 on the Richter scale and destroyed 60 buildings in the capital, Algiers.

It could be felt as far away as Spain.

Rapid UK Director Graham Payne told the BBC: "We have all the latest equipment to find people; fibre optic cameras, sound location equipment and so on.

"And we have contacted our partners in Spain, who are available to come across with some dogs as well."

The Rapid UK volunteers will take all their own search and rescue equipment in preparation for the desperate race against time.

They come from all over southern England especially to join this rescue mission.

The deployed team has 24-hour support from a specialist UK-based team at the Quedgeley operational headquarters.

The earthquake measured 6.7

IRC spokeswoman Julie Ryan said the charity's search and rescue team, which includes firefighters, paramedics, coastguards and civil engineers, were trained to work with collapsed buildings.

"They will use specialist search equipment, listening devices, video probes and thermal imaging devices."

"We will stay for as long as we are needed."

Firefighter and station sub-officer Anna-Marie McDonald, 36, from Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, said: "It is about the satisfaction of making a difference.

"A lot of us see disasters like this on the television when we sit down with a cup of tea and wonder if we can help."