THE chief officer of Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade has been invited to the Memorial Service for the 300 firefighters who died in last week's terrorist attack.

David O'Dwyer, who is due to fly out to New York on Thursday, received the invitation after street collections in the two counties raised nearly £50,000 for families and victims of the World Trade Centre disaster.

As well as the service on Sunday, Mr O'Dwyer has been invited by the New York fire commissioner and acting head of the fire department to visit stations and meet the personnel involved and affected by the tragedy.

"We have been totally overwhelmed by the response of the public throughout Herefordshire and Worcestershire," he said.

"It will be an honour to represent the Brigade and those who have given so generously," he said.

Mr O'Dwyer has also offered to help with the hunt for and recovery of bodies trapped beneath the trade centre.

And with experience of the Sun Valley factory fire, where two local firefighters were killed, he hopes to offer help and advice about coping with the aftermath to the Fire Department of New York.

"We have some experience in team rebuilding and managing the transition back to some normality following a tragedy and I will offer whatever help I can give," he

said.