This picture was taken on 9/8/2001 at the top of the south tower of the World Trades Centre in New York.

I didn't notice at the time that the flag was at half mast, but later it seemed strange that it was.

Little did we know, that two days later an event would unfold which meant that we would never be in the same place again, and no-one else would ever be able to take pictures from this viewpoint anymore.

It was my sister's first ever visit to NYC, in fact, it was her first time outside the U.K. and we had promised her that this would be a holiday she would never forget.

This photo was taken on our second visit to the top of the WTC, we had planned to come back in a couple of days, early morning, for the best light.

Two days later my wife, and sister were watching T.V. in the apartment in Yonkers, and waiting for the cam-corder battery to charge up.

It was an absoloutley beautiful, clear morning, and soon we would be going down town, and back up the WTC for more views.

When my wife called me in to see what was on T.V. I was confused, as I didn't remember ever seeing the WTC on fire before, and I assumed the pictures were from a previous time.

"It's live" she said, and I sunk down into the chair in shock.

We would have been there, but for the cam-corder battery being on charge.

The next few days passed slowly, as we wondered around the Bronx, watching a semblance of normality returning to people.

It was upsetting to see a fellow Brit, on T.V, who was stranded at JFK, and was complaining about being stranded.

"You're alive you stupid bitch", was all I could shout at the T.V. when thousands of people had had their lives snuffed out, and here she was complaining about a delay .

This event changed my opinions about many things, and it is still affecting my whole outlook on life.

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