NEWPORT couple Karen and Eddie Bourke (pictured on their wedding day two years ago) went out for a morning stroll - and walked into terror on the streets of New York.

And waiting to hear from them turned Tuesday into a living nightmare for 30-year-old Karen's mother Carol Breeds, who feared they had become some of the countless victims of the world's biggest terrorist attack.

Mrs Breeds, who lives with the couple at the family home in Wolseley Street, Pill, eventually found out the couple were safe hours later.

She said last night: "Tuesday was such a terrible day. They couldn't get through to the UK on the phone, so my son-in-law phoned his family in the south of Ireland to say they were all right and then his parents let us know.

"The next we heard was at 8.30pm in the evening. My daughter was very distressed on the phone and I couldn't stop shaking.

"It was lovely to hear her voice, but I couldn't really speak to her I was so upset. In the end my son-in-law spoke to my husband."

The couple had been enjoying their holiday in the USA.

But after witnessing the atrocity at the World Trade Centre from nearby, they rushed back to their hotel, near the Empire State Building, where they were told to stay for the rest of the day.

They still do not know if they can return to Wales on Saturday as planned.

Mrs Breeds added: "They said they couldn't go outside the hotel and couldn't do anything. They were waiting to hear from Thomas Cook about what was happening. "They had gone out in the morning for a walk and saw all the smoke and whatever else was going on, ahead of them.

"They went straight back to the hotel where they were confined for the rest of the day." Mrs Breeds said she had heard from her daughter again yesterday afternoon and that she had "seemed more herself".

She said: "They've got to try and make the most of it now.

"All the shops are open where they are staying, so they were going to have a little walk around.

"They've paid for trips to different places of interest, in a helicopter and on buses, but they've all been cancelled.

"She said it is very quiet and very sombre there. It is very, very sad for the people there. "I feel better now that I've spoken to her, but I sat downstairs all night on Tuesday because I couldn't do anything."

Karen and Eddie had only flown out to New York on holiday on Monday afternoon this week.

Mrs Breeds said she had telephoned her daughter's employers, the Tesco store at Cardiff Road, Newport, to let them know she was all right but did not know when she would be home.