THE original painting used to produce a Concorde commemorative cover has been put up for sale.

It shows one of the British built supersonic airliners flying over New York and ironically includes the twin towers of the World Trade Centre which were blown up by terrorists on September 11.

The cover was produced to mark the return to flying of the world's Concorde fleets on November 7 16 months after they were grounded following a crash in Paris.

Now the Cambridge Stamp Centre which produced the covers is selling off the original painting and plans to give any profits that are made to the September 11 Fund which was set up to help the victims and their families of the New York suicide bombings.

All bids must be received by December 11 and should be sent to the stamp centre at 9 Sussex Street, Cambridge, CB1 1PA.

The highest offer made over the £300 reserve price will get the painting which has been initialled by the artist.

**It was on July 25, 2000 that an Air France Concorde burst into flames shortly after take off and ploughed into a hotel near Charles de Gaulle airport killing 113 people.

Both the British and French Concorde fleets were grounded while a safety overhaul was carried out.

This has included the fitting of new puncture-proof tyres which have been designed to withstand the extra stresses of the supersonic plane's high-speed take-off and landing.

Other modifications made to the aircraft include new super-strong fuel tank liners.

The work was carried out after crash investigators said the disaster happened after a tyre burst when it hit a metal strip on the runway.

Fragments of the tyre ruptured fuel tanks leading to a catastrophic fire as the aircraft hurtled down the runway.