A photographer has told how his daughter watched in horror as a plane hijacked by terrorists flew into New York’s World Trade Centre.

For four desperate hours Derbyshire Times chief photographer Bernard Jones waited to hear if daughter Caroline was safe, as the disaster unfolded in America.

Caroline was on the second day of a business trip to New York when she heard the first plane crash into one of the twin towers from her hotel, before rushing outside just as another plane exploded into the Trade Centre’s south tower.

Bernard said: “They were just about to go out on Tuesday morning when she saw this flash and heard an almighty bang. She thought it was a freak plane accident and actually took pictures of it.

“Then she saw the second plane fly into the tower and it was absolute mayhem. She said she had never been so scared in her life.”

Bernard finally received a call from his daughter to let him know she was okay, while watching the tragedy on television.

He said: “She’s still quite traumatised. She’s hoping to come back as soon as she can, but when that will be we don’t know.

“We were pleased when we heard she was OK, but our blood ran cold when we realised how close she was.”

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