There is provided a subframe arrangement for use in wireless communications between a relay node and a base station and between a user equipment and at least one of the base station and relay node, the subframe arrangement comprising a plurality of symbols and a downlink control portion comprising at least one symbol having a first portion allocatable to a first downlink control channel transmission, wherein the first downlink control channel transmission is from the base station to the relay node, an uplink control portion comprising at least one symbol having a first portion allocatable to a first uplink control channel transmission, wherein the first uplink control channel transmission is from the relay node to the base station, a data portion allocatable to one of one of uplink and downlink data transmission, wherein the data transmission is between the relay node and the base station, and wherein symbol timing of the subframe arrangement is different to the symbol timing of a subframe arrangement for use solely in wireless communications between a user equipment and at least one of the base station and a relay node.