NORTH Yorkshire teenagers Andrew and Sarah Dickinson are with their family after their dream holiday to America turned sour.

The terrible events of last Tuesday forced the teenagers to remain out in the stricken city for an extra four days, as all flights home were cancelled.

"We have such contrasting images of our holiday," 19-year-old Andrew told the Evening Press.

"The first four days of excitement, bright lights, sightseeing and good food, and the second four days of despair, confusion, worry and sadness."

The short break was due to end on Tuesday but the events at the World Trade Centre, which they had visited just the night before, forced them to stay out until Saturday evening when they caught a flight home.

It was a difficult time for the two of them, they were fearful of further attacks and a bomb scare at the Empire State Building made them all the more agitated.

"There were thunderstorms one night which made New York seem like a terrible place," said Sarah, a pupil at Malton School.

"If the horrible things that happened had not taken place it would have been the most fantastic holiday of my life. We were having such a great time but things were pretty bad when we stuck out there."

Parents Linda and Gowen and five brothers and sisters spent a fraught few hours waiting to hear if the teenagers had been caught up in the mayhem in the city.

But an e-mail late on Tuesday night confirmed they "were ok" but there was still a difficult few days waiting to see when they could grab a plane home.

They were lucky to get plane seats vacated by Americans, too afraid and upset to travel.

Sarah was frightened to fly home but "was desperate to get back".

"I couldn't sleep on the plane at all," she said.

"It was horrible, but I suppose it is the safest time to fly with what has gone on."

Andrew was due to go to university in Aberdeen on the Saturday but his start there has had to be delayed.

"It will be hard going again after just getting home and trying to adjust to university life so quickly after the traumatic and distressing week we have had," he added.

"We have seen sights this week we will remember all our lives, the smoke, smells of dust and burning, devastated people, silence on the usually packed and vibrant streets of New York, displays of flowers and candles around fire and police stations."

Updated: 09:46 Thursday, September 20, 2001