A memorial plaque from Colchester Town Hall was taken to America by a group of the town’s firefighters to mark the anniversary of 9/11.
The group of firefighters travelled to Ground Zero to pay their respects to friends and comrades who died in the terror attacks 10 years ago.
They took the plaque to a town hall in Colchester, Connecticut, before visiting the grave of a friend and fellow firefighter Peter Nelson, who was one of hundreds of firefighters who died when the Twin Towers collapsed. The men then made their way to New York for the memorial day.
Firefighter Ian Parkes said: “We lay a wreath every year on his grave on our way to New York for the 9/11 memorial day.
“I first went on a parade with three others in about 2003 and we were treated like film stars, got collected from the airport in a limo the size of a bus and then taken to the fire house where a spread that could have fed an army was laid on.
“We went to New York to visit what was left of the World Trade Centre. Walking round there you got a very cold feeling and I swear you could feel the presence of people around you in spirit. It’s hard to explain what that feeling is.”
Colchester firefighters Kieran Davis, Mike Sparrow and Kelly Moroney, and retired firefighter Olly Holford also went on the trip. They were joined by police officer Andy Sumner and civilians James Stonard and Peter Robertson.