A SWINDON mother who wit-nessed the suicide jet attacks on the World Trade Centre two months ago, has reacted with shock and disbelief at the latest plane tragedy to hit New York.

Gillian James, 62, of Purslane Close, Woodhall Park was left wondering whether her son's girlfriend was embroiled in the Queen's aircraft disaster which killed more than 260 people on Monday.

Mrs James spoke to her son's girlfriend Sarah Laviola, an IT executive who lives in the city's Queen's district, hours after the crash.

Feeling utter disbelief at the crash Mrs James said she immediately thought the city had been hit by another terrorist attack.

"I thought 'oh my God, not again' but it was just a pure accident.

"My son's girlfriend lives in the same borough as the crash site and spoke of the disbelief Americans are feeling about the crash.

"She rang me up and was more concerned about my son being away on a golfing trip while all this was going on.

"People in the city were just starting to calm down and get their lives back in order when this happens.

"The Americans are simply not used to this sort of devastation."

The American Airlines Airbus A300 nose-dived into the tightly-packed suburb minutes after taking off from JFK airport.

Initial investigations show mechanical failure could have been the cause of the crash.

Mrs James said her 38 year-old son Tony, who is a vice-president of a leading IT company, had been describing the mood of the city since the terrorist attacks.

She said: "I haven't spoke to my son yet as he is still in Florida.

"It is too soon after the other atrocity. It won't change the city long-term but I think people will be very wary and stop thinking that terrorist atrocities don't happen to them.

"My son said people in the city were getting back to normal and apart from Ground Zero the city was recovering."

She added: "The security on the planes is still very lapse.

"My son went on a plane to Indianapolis and they only checked his driving licence, and that was an American Airlines plane.

"But flying to New York won't daunt me even now. I would still do it."

Mrs James was stood on the balcony of her son's New Jersey city apartment when she saw the second American Airlines plane slam into the upper towers of the World Trade Centre.