A couple who lost a nephew in the terrorist attacks on New York spoke today of their joy at the birth of his baby daughter.

Eunice Dean, whose husband Frank is a caretaker at Wilsden Primary School, said the arrival of great-niece Clare represented a symbol of hope for their devastated family following the September 11 atrocities.

But the Cullingworth couple, pictured, say the fact that no remains of their nephew have yet been found at Ground Zero means their nephew's parents are still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

The Telegraph & Argus revealed in September how Billy Dean, 33, had been working for an insurance company on the 100th floor of the World Trade Centre's 110-storey north tower when a hi-jacked airliner smashed into its upper floors.

He, his wife Trish and their four-year-old son Matthew had planned to be in Britain at the time for his grandmother's 90th birthday party but decided not to travel when they found out they were expecting a second child.

Billy's older brother Malcolm Jnr, a New York paramedic, was also on duty at the centre on September 11 and treated many of the injured despite knowing his brother was inside the tower.

Now, almost four months on, Billy's widow Trish has given birth to a 7lb baby daughter, Clare, a child she and her husband had longed for.

Mrs Dean, 66, said: "It was lovely to get news of Clare. The name means shining brightly and is a name I think they'd chosen together.

"They'd been desperately trying for another baby to give their son Matthew a little brother or sister and were over the moon when they found out she was pregnant. It must be a big comfort to Trish to know Billy's left behind a part of him, something as precious as a child.''

Mrs Dean said she would be sending gifts for the baby and four-year-old Matthew, on behalf of relatives in Britain.

And she said she and her husband, whose brother Malcolm senior emigrated to the US more than 30 years ago, hoped to see their great-niece if they went ahead with plans to visit their own children in Canada at Christmas.

Mrs Dean added: "They're all determined to get on with their lives as normally as possible.

"Trish had a remembrance service for Billy at a church in New York before the baby was born and seems to have faced what's happened, but I don't think Billy's mum and dad have really come to terms with it yet.

"No remains have been found and the chances are they won't ever be.

"But they've got his DNA from a hairbrush and we're just praying that they do find something because I think that would help them come to terms with it.''