A terminal device for use with a wireless telecommunications system comprising a base station and a plurality of relay nodes, the terminal device comprising: a transmitter; a receiver; and a controller operable to: select a first relay node from the plurality of relay nodes and control the transmitter and receiver to exchange signals with the base station via the first relay node; measure a signal characteristic associated with the first relay node and compare the measured signal characteristic with a predetermined threshold value; if the measured signal characteristic is greater than the predetermined threshold value, control the transmitter and receiver to continue to exchange signals with the base station via the first relay node; and if the measured signal characteristic is less than the predetermined threshold value, perform a procedure for allowing selection of a second relay node from the plurality of relay nodes via which the transmitter and receiver may exchange signals with the base station.