A COUPLE have cancelled their dream holiday to New York because they cannot face flying to the US.

Gary Coulson and his wife Susan, from South Church, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, were due to fly to the city on November 3, to celebrate Mr Coulson's 40th birthday.

But Mr Coulson said yesterday: "We would be staying in a hotel ten blocks away from the World Trade Centre and we just don't feel comfortable."

The couple were told by travel agents Lunn Poly that they could cancel outright and have to pay a cancellation fee of £700 bill, or they could fly somewhere else in the States and pay administration fees.

But they have decided to postpone their holiday until next year and pay £50 each.

Keith Betton, head of corporate affairs at Association of British Travel Agents, said tour operators had been sensitive about the tragedy.

He said: "If you were travelling to New York up until midnight on Friday night they were prepared to let you cancel without paying anything.

"As of Saturday, it is business as usual and most people are happy to accept that."

Mr Betton said that whether people flew to the States or not was a personal decision and said lots of people were still travelling to New York.