A COUPLE spoke today about their honeymoon from hell after finding themselves caught up in the New York terror attack.

Newlyweds Duncan and Ann-Marie Dewhurst, of Ridgeway Avenue, Blackburn, said they had to run for their lives as the second tower of the World Trade Centre collapsed in the blitz.

Now they face the prospect of not being able to make their flight home from the Big Apple to East Lancashire and said: "We just want to get out of this hell".

The pair, staying with old friends from East Lancashire in Greenwich Village, just a short stroll from the scene of devastation.

Their apartment is in an exclusion zone meaning they have limited restrictions on movement.

They said the area has become a ghost town and they have become virtual prisoners in the building as outside the desperate rescue effort continued.

Duncan, 30, a design engineer with a Mill Hill firm, said: "It was the most shocking experience of my life.

"We heard about the first crash on TV and ventured out. When we got to the scene it was just as the second tower was coming down.

"We were so close but didn't hang around. We ran for our lives and it was chaos. There was dust everywhere and people didn't know what to do.

"It was just like being in the middle of a Hollywood action movie.

"We're grateful nobody we know has been killed. It really is the most horrific thing imaginable."

The couple have been dogged by honeymoon trauma since their wedding at Inglewhite Chapel, Blackburn on August 4.

Their first trip to Sri Lanka was cancelled due to unrest caused by extremist organisation the Tamil Tigers.

A shorter break to Paris ended with their hotel being robbed by armed raiders.

They are due to fly home on Monday from their two week break but say there is little hope because of the flight chaos following the attacks.

Anne-Marie, 25, who works at Blackburn Rovers' Blues Cafe Bar in Ewood Park said: "People are still just crying in the street.

"It's so traumatic and we just want to get home but our chances of getting a flight are slim.

"We flew out with Lufthansa but they've already sent all their planes back to Germany so we're stranded for now.

"It has been a honeymoon from hell but it's nothing compared to the devastation and heartache others are suffering, so we do consider ourselves lucky in many ways.

"You can still see smoke covering the city and it's all very eerie at the moment.

"I don't know what the long-term emotional effects will be on us after witnessing all this chaos, it's just too early to say.

"We went for a walk around Central Park yesterday and it breaks your heart to see people.

"We had so much planned for this trip, but now we feel like prisoners here.

"I just want to get back home as soon as possible."

The couple have been in touch with relatives to let them know they are safe.

Duncan added: "We've never been to New York before and we feel like we need another honeymoon now. We would come back. I would like to see how the city rebuilds itself from this.

"But, for now, we just want to get home."

Duncan's father Jack Leycock, of Sussex Road, Rishton, said: "They've not had an awful lot of luck with honeymoons since they got married, but the main thing is that they are safe. That's all that matters to us."