M.E.N. Women's Editor Helen Tither's partner - 29-year-old research fellow Mark Healey - found that his ordeal did not end when he landed in Atlanta on one of the first flights to leave Manchester Airport on Thursday.

Mark said: "The security checks at Manchester had been the strictest I have ever seen. Everybody had to take shoes and jackets off before being fully frisked, everything was double-checked.

"Anything remotely suspicious was confiscated - one guy even had his lip salve taken off him - and then they went through it all over again once we got on the plane.

"A lot of people had arrived before the story had even broken -I don't think it was until we reached our hotel in Atlanta that we realised how bad things could have been.

"I have to say everybody was really tolerant on the plane, it was a bit of British stiff upper lip. But that was tested when we got off the plane at Atlanta and had to wait another three hours to collect our bags.

"Then everything was searched all over again, and we were frisked before we could get through passport control.

"Some people seemed to be particularly targeted by the security people and questioned over and over - they seemed suspicious of everyone and there were lots of police with guns everywhere.

Luggage

"Then, without any warning they took all our luggage off us again and wouldn't give it back until we left the airport - some people were left without money, passports or anything.

"It was extremely stressful for everybody not being able to get in touch with people at home and let them know you were ok.

"As soon as we got to the hotel we turned CNN on and that was when we realised what we had been through.

"This was probably one of the worst of my life but I have nothing but admiration for the security services. I'm just relieved to be here." Tweet