Special Forces have rescued 150 British and International workers who were stranded in the Libyan desert.

Members of the SAS landed in eastern Libya where they rounded up 150 oil workers who and escorted them on buses to two C-130 Hercules aircraft. From there they were flown to Malta.

According to reports the mission had been planned secretly throughout the course of the week.

Further to prior criticisms of the way in which the UK Government had been handling the crisis, the British media have been praising the secret Special Forces military rescue mission as a “daring and dramatic” operation.

The frigate HMS Cumberland will be returning to Benghazi from Malta to evacuate more people, meanwhile the Government continues its efforts to locate Britons in Libya.