MALVERN research base QinetiQ is on heightened alert following the terrorist attack on New York's World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in Washington.

The company, formerly the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), is renowned as one of Europe's largest research organisations.

Following Tuesday's terrorist attack in America, QinetiQ responded immediately to Government advice.

Spokesman Stephen Cooke said: "Because of the nature of our business, it is seen as appropriate to also increase vigilance on our sites at this stage. As far as I am aware, there are other businesses who will also be on heightened status."

Staff are being asked to be more vigilant in addition to carrying out standard entry checks.

As the world struggled to come to terms with the tragedy, a vicar who spent 10 years in Malvern spoke of his personal distress.

Rev David Smith, who was at the Malvern Link group of churches and chaplain to Dyson Perrins CE High School, is now vicar at St John's Church in Clevedon, near Bristol,

His cousin, Richard Cudina lives in New Jersey and was at work on the 101st floor of the first of the WTC towers hit in the attack.

"Since the attack I've been looking at the photographs and television film and I would have thought, on the 101st floor, that he got a direct hit but the worst thing is we don't know," he said.

"There's no news at all and we don't know whether they will ever find him."

Rev Smith, 47, who left Malvern in 1993, held a service on Wednesday night and has opened books of remembrance.

Malvern's Christ Church will be holding a special service at its Lady Chapel at 10.30am today.

Other churches, including Upton-upon-Severn Parish Church and Malvern Priory, have opened books of condolence and offered prayers for victims and their families.

Firefighters at Malvern Fire Station will join colleagues throughout Herefordshire and Worcestershire in a one-minute silence at 11am today (Friday) as a mark of respect for almost 300 New York firefighters killed in the Trade Centre attack and flags will be flown at half-mast.

Malvern's Chief Fire Officer David O'Dyer has sent messages of condolence along with Chief Constable of West Mercia Constabulary Peter Hampson and Worcestershire County Council.