MYSTERY surrounds the whereabouts of Wyre mayor David Sharples and his wife Lynn this week as they holiday in a devastated New York state.

The couple who have no children and live in Catterall, Garstang, went to the States on a private holiday.

A spokesperson for Wyre Borough Council said they were not unduly concerned yet despite no one hearing from the couple who are touring the now terrorism-torn American city.

Chief executive Michael Brown has written to President Bush in Coun Sharples' absence sending the "heartfelt sympathy of Wyre residents on this act of barbarism".

The British Consul has confirmed that British people are likely to be among those who died in the devastating attacks on the World Trade Centre towers.

The first tower which was struck by a hijacked Boeing 767 at 8.45am New York time on Tuesday September 11, came crashing to the ground less than an hour later.

And just 18 minutes after the first plane struck, a second aircraft loaded with innocent passengers hit the second tower.

Within one and a half hours, Manhattan's famous twin towers had crumbled to dust killing thousands of people.

As the tragedy was broadcast live to the world on satellite TV, people began to realise the enormity of what had just happened to America.

People in Britain have been jamming the foreign office emergency hotline set up to inform people of the whereabouts of their relatives. And communty leaders are sending messages of condolences to the US president George W Bush and his representatives.

Blackpool mayor Sue Wright has written on behalf of the people of the resort to the mayors of New York and Washington following the horrific attack.

She wrote: "On behalf of the people of Blackpool I send our sincerest condolences to the people of the United States -- and particularly New York and Washington.

"We in Blackpool have many links with the United States -- both at a civic and an individual level -- and wish them to know at this time that we are thinking of them and their families.

"At this time we believe it is important that we make a statement of our support that shows how badly we feel their loss and how determined we are as a town that terrorism will not dilute our freedom in belief and democracy."

Fylde mayor Pat Fieldhouse sent two letters to the USA first thing yesterday (Wednesday) -- a personal message to the mayors of New York and Washington and one from the Borough as a whole to the American Embassy. "Quite a few people here have connections to New York and we wanted to send our sympathy on the death of so many innocent people."