THE FAMILY of the only North-East victim of the twin towers atrocity are bracing themselves for an emotional trip to New York for the first anniversary of the attack.

Terry and Linda McMahon, from Chester-le-Street, plan to attend the memorial service to be staged at Ground Zero next Wednesday, despite still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their son Gavin.

The 35-year-old former pupil of St Leonard's RC Comprehensive School in Durham was an insurance executive for the AON Corporation, working on the 99th floor of Tower Two of the World Trade Centre, when terrorists flew the first of two aeroplanes into the buildings.

His remains were later recovered by rescue teams from Ground Zero and were only subsequently identified through DNA profiling.

The family and close friends flew to New Jersey for a funeral service last November before Gavin's remains were brought back to County Durham for private interment.

The McMahons will be joined at the memorial service by Gavin's long-term girlfriend, New York attorney Bridget Fitzpatrick, who spoke of her struggle to cope since the tragedy.

"It's very difficult as the anniversary approaches. Everybody is publicly grieving, but you have your own grief.

"Work helps, but I have a pretty stressful job," said Bridget, a domestic violence prosecutor.

Bridget said she came over to Chester-le-Street in July to visit the McMahons and Gavin's grave.

While Bridget, Terry and Linda pay tribute to Gavin in New York, his cousin Clive and his wife, Pauline, will represent the family at a memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral in London. On the same day mass will be said for Gavin at the family's parish church, St Cuthbert's RC, in Chester-le-Street.

Gavin's parents were leaving on Thursday for the USA and plan to stay in Cape Cod prior to the service.

The McMahons have expressed their desire not to talk to the media at any stage during the run up to, or after, the anniversary memorials.

They have been in contact with a London-based support group set up to specifically help British families caught up in the tragedy.