THE TERRIBLE events of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Centre still live in the public consciousness.

Although it was half a world away and 20 years ago, it endures in many memories as if it were yesterday.

Two decades later, we look back on that tragic day and what many of us were doing in our normal lives at the time.

For many, it was a time of confusion.

Anna Newton said: "I was serving afternoon tea in a nursing home in North Wales. I remember thinking: what a terrible film for my ald dears to be watching.  Then, to my absolute horror, realised it was live TV.  Just awful."

Ann-Marie Alexanders said: "My best friend and I skived off school and went to the Metrocentre in Gateshead.  I knew nothing about 9/11 until I got back from "school" and my mam was crying as it was on every channel on the TV. I thought it was a movie."

Clair Michelle said: "I was at work - Great Ormond Steet hospital - doing theatre prep.  I thought there was a disaster movie on the TVs but realised it was the news.

Some were on holiday when it happened.

Michelle Wormald said: "We were on holiday in Menorca.  There was an emergency meeting with the travel reps the following day due to travel restrictions and the high terror alert.  The flight home was horrible; our son was a baby and the only hand luggage we could take was a clear plastic bag with some nappies in.  Everyone was so anxious."

Ann-Marie Alexander continued: "We had a family holiday booked on that day. It was scary at the airport as there were loads of armed guards everywhere with rifles. We managed to fly to Rhodes in the end after extra checks were made. It was a strange day."

Francine Fleming was on an educational trip to the Cayman Islands.

She said: "The last day after a wonderful trip, we were one of the last flights allowed to fly back to the UK.  Cabin crew were in bits and when we landed back in UK.  There was an eerie silence and full of armed police."

In the years and decades following, One World Trade Centre was rebuilt on the site and a memorial and museum, which was opened 10 years ago, exactly 10 years after the attack.

Gareth Jones said: "My wife and I had visited the Twin Towers a year almost to the day a year before and have visited to pay our respects to the many people who lost their lives and to those who strived to save them."