EX-pats coming to terms with the atrocities in New York say they are terrified more terrorist attacks will follow.

Penny O'Hara, who works for the British Consulate in Manhattan, said the nearby United Nations building had been put on red alert after yesterday's disaster.

"What we're worried about is what's going to come next," she said.

"Obviously, more attacks are a worry. And then, of course, there's retaliation, which is likely to be the next thing. And then it'll just erupt."

Ms O'Hara and her financier husband Ian Sarjeant, who married this summer at St Clement's Church, St John's, live in Upper East Side.

Last night, the pair were preparing to play host to friends and colleagues stuck on the island.

"It's completely gridlocked," said the 32-year-old, speaking from her office in mid-town Manhattan, near the collapsed twin towers.

"There are cars as far as the eye can see, because they've closed all the bridges and tunnels.

"Two million people live in Manhattan, but another eight million come in every day.

"I should think our sofa bed's going to be put to good use."

Minutes after the terrorists struck, she contacted her parents - who live off Martley Road, St John's - saying she was safe and well.

The death toll, expected to run into thousands, will remain unclear for many days.

Eyewitnesses spoke of men leaping from buildings with their "skin off".

"They're doing a blood drive down at Ian's firm," Ms O'Hara revealed, "but not at ours. They don't like our blood.

The Americans have put a block on it since foot-and-mouth, but I'm sure that's going to change."

She called for security to be stepped up on internal flights at airports around the US.

"What amazes me is that six planes can go missing within a matter of hours - and three hours after the attacks on the World Trade Centre, two were still unaccounted for," she said. "No one can believe what's going on."