AN East Lancashire woman has been frantically trying to contact friends and family she fears may have been caught up in yesterday's terrorist attacks.

New Yorker Nicolette Lawson spoke today of the devastation that had hit her home city and condemned the terrorists as "animals".

Nicolette, 38, of Moors View, Ramsbottom, has a friend who works in the World Trade Centre and has been frantically trying to contact both her and members of her family -- who live just minutes away -- since she got in from work and saw the horror of the carnage unfold before her on television.

Nicolette, who lives with her husband Andy and his sons Graham, 12, and Daniel, seven, said she did not know if the friend, Sandra Marti, would be at the centre yesterday but was hoping for good news.

She said: "I just hope I get in touch with one of them and they will be able to let me know about everybody else.

"I feel so bad. I just can't believe the devastation. It is just ridiculous how people do this sort of thing and have no remorse whatsoever. Those shown on television rejoicing in what has happened are sick".

Nicolette, who was born in New York and had lived there all her life until coming to England three ago, said she had been trying to phone her brother John, a doctor's assistant in New York City, but she could not get through.

She said: "The lines seem to be dead and on television they have told people not to try and get through."