I was at home in London, England. My brother had phoned to say that a building in the US was on fire, he said he thought it might be the world trade centre. I said that it couldn’t be.

I switched satellite channels to CNN and a special news item was being aired, I was absolutely shocked. I thought how did this happen, suddenly the other tower exploded mid way, I shouted with horror at what had happened. I didn’t see the second aircraft approach; I thought this had happened because of the damage to the first tower.

When the news anchor said that a second aircraft had hit the tower, I thought, what does he mean second aircraft.

I called my friends; they thought I was being sensationalistic, they didn’t believe me. Unfortunately I had to leave for work. On arrival at my workplace everyone was shocked. At the time I worked for a railway company, my job being to examine rail tickets. I left the office and went to my work location, being a public area I took a radio with me and switched it on so that people could here what was happening. A colleague of mine made the comment that given the impact the buildings could collapse. I said to them that they were talking nonsense, that the buildings were designed to take such an impact.

Whilst working I heard on the radio that tower two had collapsed. People gathered round, some were crying. It sounds strange but it just did not register what had happened for a few seconds, I was numbed, I thought of the people in the buildings. I felt helpless.

On man, an American came through the station, he had left his office early and was being met by his wife, we chatted for about ten minutes until she arrived, when she arrived was inconsolable. Other people were crying, then it hit me, I, a grown man of thirty years also burst into tears, one passenger tried to comfort me, I thought to myself what other countless people have thought, WHY.

Then the anger started, I thought if the US government know who did this I hope they blow them off the face of the planet, eradicate them. The level of anger shocked me as did it my colleagues.

I continued to work my shift. People all around me were silent. It was strange normally you can’t hear yourself think, the silence was incredible. I heard on the radio that the second tower, tower one had collapsed and that another building had been hit, this later turned out to be The Pentagon.

When my shift ended I left for home. When I arrived at home I just sat in disbelief staring at the TV screen, I could believe what had happened. After a couple of hours it started to sink in. From that moment I thought even with the huge loss of life, the people that did this would pay, maybe not immediately but eventually. I thought of the dead, I thought they may be dead but they will be avenged.

Of course politicians in the UK stated how terrible it was, I thought to myself, we certainly don’t need to be told by you people, thankfully, even though there are weak willed politicians, cowards is another way of describing them in this country at least our Prime Minister, Tony Blair had something positive to say. Personally I feel that by stating that the UK would stand by the US in anyway possible gave me comfort.

When the US national anthem was played at Buckingham Palace I saw US citizens based in London outside its gates, I thought to myself at that time just seeing their reaction, the cowardly scum that did this have lost, period, they may have murdered innocent people but they haven’t won a thing.

As the days went on it became a little easier, the anger is only now, just waning. In time I am sure I and many others will learn to come to terms with the terrible events of September 11th. I just hope that the people responsible for this event suffer more than the world trade centre victims.