IT WAS a phone call the Warwick parents will never forget.

Ten years ago, minutes after the first hijacked plane careered into the World Trade Centre in New York, Ron and Joan Bryant were woken by the telephone ringing.

On the other end of the line was their daughter, Lisa Cooper, "in an absolute panic", telling them to turn their television on.

"I remember it well," said Mrs Bryant.

"Lisa was in a complete panic saying, 'We've been attacked'. We watched it on early morning television and it was terrible."

Two years before the terrorist attack, Lisa had moved to America with her husband, Mark Cooper, and their two children.

Fortunately, all were safe in their home in Des Moines in Iowa when the attack happened, but Mr Bryant said 9/11 had greatly affected the whole family.

"I suppose everyone was worried about their loved ones over there. You just didn't know what was going to happen next," he said.

"They tried (to attack) the White House and Pentagon too. It was terrible."

Former US President George W. Bush spent the few hours after the attack circling over the home state of Lisa and Mark Cooper, above Iowa, to seek some form of refuge.

Mark has just returned to his Iowa home after giving a lecture in New York - putting minds at ease for Mr and Mrs Bryant that he won't be there for the 10-year anniversary.