A FORMER Evesham High School pupil who was next door to the mayhem in New York on Tuesday escaped unhurt.

Neil Ross, aged 41, who now lives in Richmond, Surrey, travels to New York regularly on business.

His mother, Mrs June Ross, who used to live in Evesham and is now at North Littleton, said; "He is safe and well."

She said: "He was working in his office block which is very close to the twin towers of the World Trade Center and saw it all happen.

"The building was evacuated though I understand it was all right although there was damage all round.

"Neil and a colleague had to walk for three hours through all the chaos, for much of the time surrounded by rubble, covered in dust and when they reached the ferry they were hosed down to clean them off and now he is staying with the colleague"

Mrs Ross said he rang home as soon as he could to say he was safe and added: "Quite naturally, we were all very concerned for him."

She said: "No one knows what is happening out there and so we don't know when we shall be seeing him."