A NORTH Yorkshire woman faced a traumatic wait for news of her son, who works just yards from the World Trade Centre in New York, scene of Tuesday's terrorist attack.

Mrs Jenny Tomlain-Reeves, of Sinderby, near Thirsk, finally learned that 28-year-old Tim was safe at 5.30pm, three and a half hours after two hijacked passenger jets smashed into the building's twin towers.

Mr Tomlain-Reeves, who works at a bank in the shadow of the 110-storey skyscrapers, was evacuated just before the first tower collapsed.

Traumatised but unhurt, he was taken with other evacuees across the Hudson river to a makeshift rescue centre before being allowed to make his way home to the city apartment he shares with his wife, Kate.

News that the couple were safe came by phone at his mother's home at 5.30pm and Mr Tomlain-Reeves was able to ring and speak to her personally at about 7pm. Now she hopes to offer comfort to other families in the North-East and North Yorkshire affected by the catastrophe in America.

"Tim is extremely traumatised and very worried about colleagues," she said. "He got a message to Kate while he was in the building where he works, after the attack, and he was then evacuated.

"He eventually walked home through Central Park and was caked in grey dust when he arrived at the apartment. Kate didn't know what to do because he was so shocked."

Initial fears for Mr Tomlain-Reeves's wife, who had just returned to New York after attending a family party in her native Bedfordshire, were unfounded, as her plane had landed before the atrocities unfolded.

"Their apartment is on Third Avenue, some distance away to the east of the World Trade Centre, and their telephone was working, although the lines were very busy," said Mrs Tomlain-Reeves, who heard about the terrorist attack on the radio.

"I have six children - Tim, three in England, one in Canada and one in Wales - and I gave everyone in the family a job to do, such as ringing Kate regularly."

The anxious wait on Tuesday afternoon spurred Mrs Tomlain-Reeves into offering comfort and a chance to talk to other families in the area who are affected by the horror.

"After I heard the news on the radio, I was pacing the floor," she said. "When the towers toppled I couldn't bear it. The phone call at 5.30 was the first time I knew he was safe, then my son, James, in Wales said there must be other people in this area in the same position, or even bereaved.

"In my mind, I was bereaved on Tuesday until I heard Tim was safe. The whole world is shocked and I would hate to think someone else close by was pacing the floor like I was. Perhaps we could support each other."

For Mr Tomlain-Reeves, who was born at Croft, near Darlington, and attended St Augustine's RC school in the town, it was a second near miss involving terrorists. He was at Manchester university when the city centre was bombed.

He has worked in New York since January 2000, after being transferred from London, and married in October last year.

Anyone affected by the New York tragedy and who would find comfort in talking to others can contact Mrs Tomlain-Reeves on 01845 567151.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Borough Council is to circulate books of condolence around its six major towns in the wake of the attack.

The mayor, Coun Bob Nash, has written to Col Christine Marsh, commanding officer at the nearby Menwith Hill US military base, on behalf of the authority to express its sorrow and outrage at the attack on her countrymen.

Flags were flown at half-mast from council offices and books of condolence will be available at Ripon, Boroughbridge, Masham, Pateley Bridge, Knaresborough and Harrogate.

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