The tragic events of 9/11 will always be remembered by those who saw them — either in person or on television.

Such was the shock and disbelief at what was happening, that it was seared on people's memories and so everyone remembers where they were when they heard the news about the New York terror attacks.

We asked members of the We grew up on the Isle of Wight Facebook group where they were at the time of the 9/11 terror attacks on New York - and we had more than 150 comments.

Andrea Andrews said: "I was living in Mystic, Connecticut at the time and was on vacation from work because my parents were visiting from the Isle of Wight.

"They had flown into Boston the week before. We were just getting ready for a day of sightseeing and television news broke into the regular programming.

"I remember the feeling of gradual realisation that something really serious was happening, then shock when the second plane hit, and the Pentagon. We didn’t move all day. We were glued to the television.

"There’s a US Navy sub base on the Thames at Groton, and I remember them shutting all the bridges, and therefore interstates, because they didn’t know where the next threat was coming from.

"The sky above us was usually filled with contrails, but there were no jetliners flying, so the sky was eerily empty.

"My parents got stuck and couldn’t get back home for a while. When they got notified, they had been allocated a flight, it was Boston, and it was really strange.

"There were hardly any passengers, and armed soldiers everywhere. You weren’t allowed any hand baggage apart from a small ziploc bag.

"I used to drive through New Jersey and remember the smoke from the fires being there for months, and the chemical smell hanging in the air for even longer as you drove on I-95."

Louise McDougall was in San Diego, California, three hours behind East Coast time.

She said: "When I took my kids to school the teacher asked me to stay and help her, some of the kids were scared. Throughout the day everywhere I went, the school, sitting at traffic lights, in the grocery store, people were just broken down in tears and shock."

Nigel Allum said: "I was in a motel in Stourbridge Mass - we were supposed to be flying home next day from Boston, we used to sell at Brimfield the largest antique market in the world, but Boston was closed as it was a crime scene.

"We had to wait for a week, then we had to drive to New York. We drove past Ground Zero and it was still smouldering and fires where still starting.

"It was a harrowing week - every television channel 24hrs a day was covering the twin towers."

Susan Ortman added: "I was in San Diego. My ex-husband, a United Airlines Captain, was up in the air at the time of the time. They all had to land their planes."

Nigel and Janet Young were with their family in Disneyworld Florida. They said: "Everyone had to vacate the park. It was devastating and the Americans were stunned. We watched it all day on the news back at the house."

Helen Sansrule recalled: "I was in Mexico! We were due to fly home the next day and although that day’s flights were cancelled, remarkably ours left on time.

"Watching it unfold with my daughter was such a terrifying yet memorable event - I just could not believe what I was seeing."

Graham McCully added: "I was watching in Shannon airport in Ireland as the US started closing all flights entering US airspace.

"Many US citizens waiting on flights were devastated. I ended up in airport for 16 hours to get flight back to UK. That event changed the world then and now."

Closer to home, Sue Sheath said: "I was on the millennium wheel. I remember it being stopped and we were at the top and there were soldiers on the ground escorting people out of the area. I didn’t know what had happened until the coach we were on stopped for a break and I saw it on the television!"

Norman Crisp said: "I was in London at a LTSB building and everyone got sent home quickly in case of an attack on the city."

Roy Benning was working in the Royal Navy base in Portsmouth. He said: "The threat level went up very very quickly. I knew the first plane was to focus the world’s media on New York but obviously didn’t know what the actual main event was going to be, as it were."

Brad Cullen was on Salisbury Plain on exercise with the Army. He recalled: "The exercise was cancelled as the unit was tasked with picking up passengers from redirected flights. I remember our Sgt Major freaking out saying stuff like 'This is it boys, we're going to war'."

Dave Kitching, who was headteacher at Shanklin CE Primary School at the time, said: "When the attacks started, I was at Sandown Heights swimming pool with a Year 3 class as they had their first swimming lesson of the year.

"We all returned to school on the bus. At 2.45pm the children returned to class to get ready for the end of the school day at 3pm.

"I went to my office and turned the radio on to hear the news of the attack. Then immediately turned the television and watched a plane crash into one of the towers!

"The children went home with their parents. I walked through the school and advised my staff to turn on their televisions too. The question was why? I couldn’t explain. The events unfolding in America were beyond words. We sat in silence together witnessing the horrific things from New York."

And James Pilcher was among dozens of young people working on the Isle of Wight at the time.

He said: "I was working in the bakery in Scarrotts Lane in Newport when it happened and my sister phoned me to tell me someone had flown a plane into the World Trade Center.

"I though she meant a tiny Cessna or something. Then I went to my evening job behind the bar in the Horse & Groom at Ningwood and watched what actually happened on the television in there.

"At that point I thought I was going to be conscripted into a world war or something."

Are you an Islander who was in New York, or America, at the time of the 9/11 terror attack? If so, we would love to hear your story! Simply click on the box below to tell us more!