TOP-ranking New York firefighters will visit Evesham to see a memorial plaque dedicated to their colleagues who died during the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The black granite plaque, unveiled on the wall of Evesham Fire Station in Merstow Green on the first anniversary of the attacks, contains a fragment of glass from the devastated World Trade Center.

Six members of New York's fire department will tour Hereford and Worcester brigade stations, including Evesham's, during June 30 and July 1.

They are travelling to the two counties to thank residents for giving £163,000 to dependants of New York firefighters killed in the atrocity.

The visiting officers will be guests of honour at the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund diamond jubilee Spirit of Fire event at London's Royal Albert Hall on June 29. The event marks 60 years since the fund's creation during the London Blitz.

The fund was set up as a result of donations made by American firefighters to the families of their British counterparts killed in the Blitz.

Britain's firefighters reciprocated by raising more than £8million in the wake of the New York attacks of 2001.

Although the final timetable for the New York delegation's visit is still to be finalised, Evesham is on their itinerary, as is a friendship dinner in Worcester.

The plaque they will see at Evesham was made by Evesham mason Paul Brown, of Brown's Memorials in Port Street.

When the plaque was unveiled last September 11, Evesham Station Commander Steve Fellows said the tragic events in New York had touched his crews deeply, adding that they had wanted to commemorate their dead American colleagues in some way.

The World Trade Center glass incorporated in the memorial was brought to Britain by the New York fire department's official photographer, Gary Suson.