British Commandos take part in successful mission to find missing hikers in Norway

Commandos from the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) have supported the Norwegian police and search and rescue teams in successfully finding two hikers who had gone missing in the north of the country.

Personnel from the SRS, which is dubbed the eyes and ears of the UK Commando Force, worked out of an Ops Room in Helligskogen Leir, where they provided additional equipment and offered four Commandos with skidoos.

Elements of the UK Commando Force, including Royal Marines Commandos, Army Commandos and the Commando Helicopter Force, are in Norway ready for Nato's biggest Arctic exercise in a generation.

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The SRS is primarily made up of Royal Marines from 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group and its members are specialists in gathering information on the enemy and topography.

One of the squadron's many strengths is being discreet, often while travelling long distances behind enemy lines.

More than 20,000 Nato troops, 50 warships, submarines and other vessels, and more than 110 fighter jets, helicopters and other aircraft are in Norway to take part in Exercise Nordic Response.

The exercise was previously called Cold Response, but was renamed following Finland and Sweden's expected membership to Nato to encompass the wider region.

The Royal Marines have a long tradition of cold weather and mountain warfare in Norway dating back to the 1940s.