Across Hampshire, homes and offices are expected to fall silent on September 11th on the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks in America.

The moment's silence will begin at 1.46pm, the time the American Airlines flight crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks when two planes flew into the Twin Towers and a third into the Pentagon. A fourth plane, believed to be heading for the White House, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

It is the world's worst terrorist atrocity.

Winchester Cathedral will hold a memorial service at 12.30pm to which the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mary Fagan has been invited to attend as well as Mayor of Winchester, John Steel, leader of Hampshire County Council, Ken Thornber and chairman of the county council Peter Hutcheson. A cathedral spokesman said: "The Lady Chapel will also be set aside all day so that if anyone wants to come in and light a candle they can."

The county council will fly the British and American flags at half mast outside the Great Hall.

Representatives from Hampshire Fire Brigade and Hampshire Police will attend a national memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Winchester firefighters are planning to observe the moment's silence. A Hampshire Fire Brigade spokesman said: "We joined in a tribute last year for our fallen colleagues in New York and obviously we want to do the same this year."

City and county council staff are expected to observe the moment's silence if it is officially announced by the Government.

Meanwhile services at Southampton International Airport will continue as normal. A spokesman said no flights had been cut. Airlines say passenger confidence has returned in the 12 months since the World Trade disaster and the Pentagon attack. British Airways has reduced the number of flights to America on September 11th but people are still flying to other destinations in Europe, said a spokesman for ABTA.

She said: "I think business travel will be affected in that companies won't want people to fly on that day but in terms of tour operators it has not changed at all."