Two New York firefighters have returned home with 6,000 dollars for the Twin Towers disaster appeal - thanks to the sale of ties made in Keighley.

Mike Sofia and Chris Broughton, of the Engine 26, Manhattan Fire Department, were in the area to join sporting greats at a golf tournament that raised £20,000 for the Heartbeat Appeal, which is raising money for a scanner at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The duo were brought to the UK by Kalpak USA, one of the sponsors of the tournament held at Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel and Country Club at Baildon. The firefighters, who both lost friends in the 9/11 disaster, stayed with businessman Tony Lee at his home in Great Slack Farm, Kildwick.

Tony, managing director of Ezra T Lee, of Parkwood Street, Keighley, who has business interests in New York, produced a memorial tie to raise money for families of those lost in the terrorist attack. At a dinner after the tournament the firefighters were presented with a $6,000 cheque - $3,000 dollars from the sale of the ties which was doubled by the Heartbeat charity.

Said Tony: "It was a magnificent gesture to double the money. Mike and Chris came over to help raise money for the scanner.

"They stayed with us and just could not get over the wonderful surroundings and countryside, especially when they realised the house is 100 years older than America."

He added: "I took them to Broughton Hall and joked with Chris that it was his ancestral home."

Before leaving Chris, who along with Mike has put in a total of more than 50 years service, said: "I served for 16 years at the World Trade Centre and was transferred out not long before 9/11. I knew all of those guys and I'll never forget them."