A first terminal device for use in a wireless telecommunications system comprising one or more base stations each forming a respective network node of the wireless telecommunications system and a plurality of terminal devices, wherein each of the terminal devices is operable to be established as a relay node via which each of the other terminal devices is operable to communicate with at least one of the base stations, and wherein the first terminal device comprises: a controller operable to determine a value of an operational characteristic associated with the first terminal device; and a transceiver unit (116, 118) operable to receive, from each of the other terminal devices, signalling indicative of a value of the operational characteristic associated with that terminal device; wherein the transceiver unit is operable to transmit relay node establishment signalling to a first one of the base stations to provide the first one of the base stations with the value of the operational characteristic associated with the first terminal device as determined by the controller and the values of the operational characteristic associated with each of the other terminal devices as received by the transceiver unit in order for the first one of the base stations to select a second terminal device (104b, 104c, 104d) as a relay node via which each of the other terminal devices is operable to communicate with at least one of the base stations, wherein the second terminal device is selected on the basis of the value of the operational characteristic associated with the first terminal device as determined by the controller and the values of the operational characteristic associated with the other terminal devices as received by the transceiver unit from the other terminal devices; and wherein, prior to establishment of the second terminal device as a relay node, the first terminal device is a relay node. a controller operable to determine a value of an operational characteristic associated with the first terminal device; and a transceiver unit (116, 118) operable to receive, from each of the other terminal devices, signalling indicative of a value of the operational characteristic associated with that terminal device; wherein the transceiver unit is operable to transmit relay node establishment signalling to a first one of the base stations to provide the first one of the base stations with the value of the operational characteristic associated with the first terminal device as determined by the controller and the values of the operational characteristic associated with each of the other terminal devices as received by the transceiver unit in order for the first one of the base stations to select a second terminal device (104b, 104c, 104d) as a relay node via which each of the other terminal devices is operable to communicate with at least one of the base stations, wherein the second terminal device is selected on the basis of the value of the operational characteristic associated with the first terminal device as determined by the controller and the values of the operational characteristic associated with the other terminal devices as received by the transceiver unit from the other terminal devices; and