SLOWLY, almost mournfully, they began to emerge from their homes with the same two words echoing in their heads: "If only."

Children, allowed to go to school late, holding their parents hands. Heads bowed, eyes red, precious few words exchanged.

Grown-ups heading reluctantly to the office to make up for lost time - a long day ahead.

Others, eyes on the pavement, lost in thought and with no intention of going into work, walking their dogs or finding reasons to go to the shops. Anything to leave the aching disappointment behind.

Generations united in an eerie sense of anti-climax and that same thought: "If only..."

If only Rivaldo hadn't scored two minutes into extra-time in the first-half...If only David Seaman hadn't let a harmless-looking free-kick inexplicably float over his head into the net. If only...

In communities across the North-East and North Yorkshire, the region woke up early to find itself in the middle of a bad dream.

At Teesside Airport, holidaymakers who should have been heading off abroad on a high were left in a sombre mood.

The main airport was deserted as passengers, air stewards, shop workers and airport officials crowded around a tiny television in the airport bar.

Tourists checked in early for flights to make sure they did not miss a minute of England's biggest match for years. In the departure lounges, passengers waiting for flights were able to watch the game on small screens after they had gone through customs.

Passengers proudly donned their England shirts and some youngsters had gelled their hair into Beckham's distinctive Mohican-style.

Scottish passengers due to catch the early morning Aberdeen flight sensibly kept quiet after the match, not a gloater in sight.

One Sunderland fan, flying to Amsterdam, said after it was all over: "I'm absolutely gutted. It's put a dampener on my holiday. I don't feel like going now."

David Marks, of Middlesbrough, was more optimistic: "I don't think the lads played as well as they have been playing. I'm upset but I'm sure I'll have recovered by the time my plane touches down at the other end."

Hopes had been so high at Red Hall Primary School's breakfast club in Darlington, where headteacher Peter Boddy sported a smile of optimism and a David Beckham-style Mohican wig.

But, like everywhere else, the optimism gave way to the stark realisation that England were out.

Mark Gage, 11, said: "I thought England did well because Brazil are one of the best teams. Michael Owen was my man of the match because he scored a good goal.

"In the second half they didn't play as well as the first and I think they could have done better, but I know Rivaldo and Ronaldo are good players and have won nearly every match they've played."

David Waters, ten, said: "They played all right. I was quite disappointed in the second half, but Brazil are a good team and you can't really blame England for losing."

Jack Scarr, eight, said: "It was unlucky because Brazil are one of the best teams I've seen playing in the World Cup. I think Brazil should go on and win it."

At Peterlee Fire Station, the night shift stayed late and the day shift came in early to watch the action on a wide screen television in the station's recreation room.

Station commander Keith Gilson said: "There was a tense atmosphere at the station and we were very disappointed. It seemed sad that we went out on such an easy goal, but it's just one of those things."

Across in Durham City, hundreds of fans trooped silently out of a packed but financially-troubled Gala Theatre.

They had arrived, almost universally bleary-eyed, from 7am.

But, defeat finally a reality, they were now, as one young woman succinctly put it, "absolutely flat, flat as a pancake".

Another fan, bearing a St George's Cross flag, agreed. "And it's not even like we can argue about it, Brazil were just better than us."

At St Francis Xavier School, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, excited pupils had arrived early to watch the match on a big screen.

"It was good fun and they all had bacon butties at half-time, but it was long faces and back to lessons straight afterwards," said Angela Ryan, manning the school reception.

"Luckily, we've got the mayor coming to hand out jubilee medals so that should cheer them up a bit."

And at the Joseph Swan School, in Gateshead, Darryl Howlett wept tears of despair as he watched the nation's World Cup dreams disappear.

The 13-year-old joined more than 200 of his fellow pupils and packed into the hall to watch the match.

Beckham fan Darryl had been growing his hair over the last two weeks and the night before the big game he got his mum to bleach a stripe through the middle so he could sport the Mohican haircut like his hero.

"I'm absolutely devastated. When the final whistle went everyone in the hall was crying - even the teachers had tears in their eyes.

"I really thought we could do it," he sobbed. "I honestly thought I was going to see David hold up the world cup on Sunday."

If only...