A SPONTANEOUS round of applause broke out as the aircraft touched down at a sunny and warm JFK.

Nine weeks after the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and six days on from the American Airlines disaster at Rockaway Beach, 150 holidaymakers flew in from Bournemouth yesterday afternoon to show their solidarity with New York City.

"I wasn't going to let anyone stop me getting here," said 64-year-old Pamela Coombs, a sales executive from Westbourne. "I'm going to do my bit - starting at Bloomingdales!"

Her sentiments were echoed by retired Army major Jim Hyde as the one-third empty Boeing 757 came to a halt.

The grandfather, aged 70, declared: "If you worried about taking risks you'd never get up in the morning.

"I don't see why some jumped-up terrorist should disrupt my plans. We're British. We don't give in."

Jim and his wife Brid will celebrate her birthday here on Wednesday.

As the passengers boarded the jet at Bournemouth eight hours earlier they were greeted by the sight of a giant Stars and Stripes draped over the steps.

Travel boss Stephen Bath gave a victory salute - he had been determined the charter should go ahead come what may.

Before September 11, 550 people were booked to go. Afterwards 400 cancelled.

Sales manager John Lakin, 58, from Fordingbridge, saw no reason to pull out.

"This place needs all the help it can get," he said. Nigel and Pam Lunn, also from Fordingbridge, are offering help of a different kind. They'll be working a shift at a soup kitchen at Ground Zero tomorrow night.

Pensioner Doreen Graham wore an NYPD fleece. "Do you want to see my passport?" I joked at the security barrier at Hurn. "No, no, I'm a passenger," she replied, seriously.

As the transfer coaches headed out of JFK towards the city, all eyes strained to catch a glimpse of a very different Manhattan skyline, no longer dominated by the World Trade Centre.

The charter is making a loss of more than £20,000 but Mr Bath said it would have gone ahead even if only 90 people had been prepared to travel.

"We decided very early on to stick to our guns. Most of our flights go full so it's only right we should take the rough with the smooth.

"This charter also sends a strong message. The Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, has urged visitors to come and spend some money. Well, we're here to do that."

Mr Bath, who is also president of ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, will meet city tourism officials to discuss Bournemouth - New York ventures next year.

"We had planned to bring nearly 600 people this year and 900 in 2002. September 11 changed all that and I want to get back on track."