[Latina]

I was a couple of weeks away from starting Uni, working as a housekeeper in one of the hotels that overlooks the St Andrews Old Course. It was about half past two and I had a rather big job to do (very dirty room) so put the TV on, intending to find the digital radio channels, but of course never made it that far.

There was one tower left standing, and I saw living people waving white sheets from the windows, and some jumping out of the windows. I then saw that tower collapse, and realised I was watching mass murder - real people actually dying before my eyes - live on TV. I held it together cos I had work to do. My boss was desperately trying to get in touch with her son in New York. The hotel (which was full of American tourists) was deadly quiet.

When I got home I explained to my Mum what I'd seen and I found myself crying as I did so. It sounds shallow but part of what bothered me was seeing the destruction of a famous building. I've always had this weird thing (perhaps a phobia?) about well known buildings changing. Not even necessarily being destroyed, but just changing. I still have "nightmares" about landmarks going missing and such. I think it started when I was about 4 and saw some trees I had become familliar with cut down, and I started screaming.

But obviously the destruction of the WTC building was more symbolic in nature, whereas the loss of life was truly tragic. It still makes me upset and angry. I've never been able to watch any of the TV documentaries about 9/11.

[dimtimjim]

I was in Ibiza (back when the body was able) at the time this happened.... I remember walking past a bar, noting the image on the screen and wandering what film the residents were watching. The following morn it was all over the newspapers and it became obvious what I'd seen on the telly!

Obviously I appreciate there were bigger problems going on in the world in the days after 9/11, but it caused me a 15 hour delay at Ibiza airport meaning I had to spend a night asleep (well, awake technically) on waiting lounge floor. Ruddy terrorists.

[McGuinness-89]

I was at home watching a movie on sky(I was at school then so I must have been ill)and a message came up saying "A plane has hit the World Trade Center turn to Sky News for more details.I thought it was one of those light aircraft that I think crashed in New York a few months before so I ignored it.Then about half an hour later another message came up saying a second plane had hit the Trade Center so i put the the news on and I remember actually dropped the remote in shock.

[Zoot]

I was working in Argos as I'd just finished Uni. I remember I was in the 'security stock room' (where all the expensive stuff was kept) and noticed a crowd had gathered around the TV's on the shop floor. We rang the shop floor supervisor to go have a look what was going on, then after work we ended up in the pub watching sky news.

I remember watching a repeat of the 2nd building going down and getting goose bumps. It's a strange feeling, knowing something absolutely huge is happening as you watch it on the TV.

I remember a friend saying that this was so terrible you couldn't make it up.

[Munki Bhoy]

Joke aside now...

Sorry to say it but the attacks actually benefited me. I was in Gran Canaria at the time and spending far too much time in a swimming pool without decent sun block. When some random person came around saying that America was under attack I got out the pool and wandered in to see what he was talking about. Had I not done that, I'd probably have got so badly burnt I'd have had to go to hospital. As it was I spent the rest of the day and indeed the holiday inside hiding from the sun watching the news mainly because I was badly enough cooked.

Yes, I would gladly swap a trip to a Spanish hospital for those attacks not to have happened.

[Jill]

I was online in the old msn chat rooms when someone mentioned the first plane hitting the towers, so i turned the telly on and i saw the second plane hit.

I wonder if it'll get mentioned in history classes in many many years to come