EVESHAM is twinned with sadness today, at the news that a resident of Evesham, New Jersey, died on the Boeing 757 which crashed in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Leroy Homer Jnr, was a co-pilot on the plane when it plunged to Earth with its passengers at about 10am.

His plane was one of the four aircraft deliberately crashed by suicide terrorists that led to the killing of thousands of people in New York.

Mayor of Evesham, New Jersey, Gus Tamburro, who has visited the Vale on many occasions, said: "I'm just mentally and physically debilitated from this whole thing, especially with the loss of life of someone from the township."

Ever since the disaster, members of the Evesham Twinning Association have been trying to get in touch with their American friends.

Twinning member and town councillor Frances Smith said: "We finally contacted Gus who told us the very sad news.

"He had been to see Mr Homer's wife who has a young child but she was heavily sedated."

The township has organised a special memorial service for the dead pilot that takes place today (Friday).

Members of the twinning association are sending personal messages of sympathy to the family by fax to be read out at the service.

Condolences

The town council is also sending its official condolences on behalf of the people of Evesham, Worcestershire.

The Mayor of Evesham, Mark Robinson, said: "Our hearts go out to the many families of all nations who have lost loved ones in these senseless acts of terrorism.

"We are particularly saddened by the news that the co-pilot of Flight 93, which crashed near Pittsburgh was one of Evesham Township's own and send our sincere condolences to his family."

There was better news nearer to home. June Ross of North Littleton breathed a sigh of relief when she heard her son, 41-year-old Neil Ross was safe. The former Evesham High School pupil was working in his office block very close to the twin towers of the World Trade Center and saw the horror unfold.

After the blasts he had to walk for three hours with a colleague through all the rubble covered in dust.

They had to be hosed down before boarding a ferry.

Mrs Ross said her son rang home as soon as he could to let her know he was safe.

Chief fire officer for Hereford and Worcester, David O'Dwyer, paid tribute to the hundreds of American fire officers who gave their lives trying to rescue people trapped in the twin towers.

He said: "The men and women who rushed towards the World Trade Center to help were very heroic because they certainly would have known they were putting their own lives at risk.

"Auto pilot would have kicked in and they would be thinking 'We cannot stand by and let our fellow Americans die without doing something'." A US Army officer who has lived in Evesham for many years, Lt Col Charles Burch of Owletts End, said he was appalled at the tragedy.

"He said: "Terrorists have hurt us in two ways. They have attacked the military and they have attacked our wallets by hitting the Center. Anyone trying to pinch our wallets has committed a grave error."

Church leaders in the Vale have reacted with horror to the attack on America.

The Rev Richard Armitage, of All Saints Church in Evesham, said: "We do not have enough information to be in a position to fully grasp the intricacies of international politics but we do know the pain of suffering."

l All Saints Church is open all day for people to pray and sign a book of condolence.

l One minute's silence was due to take place today (Friday) in all fire stations around the two counties at 11am, and members of the pubic were being invited to join the silent tribute.