NEW Yorker Geraldine Green was enjoying her holiday in Morecambe when news broke of the horrors unfolding in her home city.

She had flown out from the States at the weekend to visit Britain for the first time in 23 years but just two days into her vacation she could only stare in disbelief at the TV screens and worry about the safety of her family back home.

Geraldine was particularly concerned about her oldest son who lives in the shadow of the World Trade Centre.

"I was visiting the Lake District when I got a call that the World Trade Towers had been bombed and my first reaction was that it was some kind of joke," said Geraldine, who was with her sister Valerie. "We rushed back and started trying to call New York but couldn't get through. We kept trying but there was nothing and we couldn't get through on e-mail. All my family are out there, children, grandchildren, I was really, really concerned. All I could do was watch what was happening on the TV.

"I couldn't believe my eyes.

"I eventually got a call at 5am from my youngest son who had been trying to call me all day. He told me he had heard from all the family and everyone was OK.

"My oldest son was actually woken by the impact of the explosion.

"His apartment shook so much that his lamp fell off his window. He looked out of his window and saw the World Trade Centre on fire"

Geraldine added: "I'm so relieved and thankful that all my family are unhurt but I'm very saddened by what's happened.

"My heart goes out to all the people who have lost loved ones.

It's devastating. New York will never be the same."