SPITTING cobras, scorpions, searing heat and high humidity were some of the things that the Rapid UK team had to contend with as they set about their search and rescue mission in Mozambique.
Director of Rapid UK, Graham Payne from Jacobstowe, has returned to Britain with other members of the charity after spending seven days in Mozambique rescuing flood victims, delivering aid to people trapped by flood waters, and setting up and running a refugee camp.
Mr Payne said the trip had left Rapid UK without any more funds for another mission at the moment.
'We looked after nearly 1,000 people and fed and found shelter for them and delivered medical supplies — I dread to think what might have happened to them otherwise,' he said.
'We have done what we set out to do and although money is always in the back of your mind, it is not the priority.'
He said going from an English winter into a tropical country with temperatures over 100 degrees and 90 per cent humidity was hard for the team.
'We were grateful to a Mozambique church group who took over the running of the camp for us. The UN have now taken over the rescue operation,' he said.
Rapid UK purchased two inflatable boats at a cost of £14,500 to take with them on the mission which were manned by two Bude lifeboatmen. Mr Payne said the charity was now setting up a boat section.
'We have a dog section and now we will have a boat section which will give us the ability to deal with any disaster of any nature,' he said.
He added that it was a great credit to the team that the refugee camp was quoted as being a model of how refugee camps should be run.
'A South African pilot, who had been in the Vietnam war, said the sign of a good man to him was someone he would be prepared to go to war with.
'He said he would be prepared to go with any member of our team and that is credit indeed,' he added.