A LONG-established Tadcaster travel agents has ceased trading after losing business following the World Trade Centre terrorist attacks.

Calcaria Travel Ltd ceased trading on Friday at its shops in Tadcaster, Sherburn-in-Elmet, Wetherby and Pontefract.

All the shops are now closed, apart from the one in High Street, Tadcaster, which has been taken over by another holiday company called Travelwise.

Shocked staff were given the news on Friday as the company struggled to attract customers following the September 11 atrocities in New York.

Calcaria Travel has been in Tadcaster for more than 20 years and just over two years ago opened a new shop, in Low Street, Sherburn.

A spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said they had asked the company for a full list of names and addresses of people who had booked with them.

He said this would enable tour operators to write to customers and reassure them their holidays were fine.

The spokesman added: "Calcaria have told us they can't cover their liabilities to their customers.

"There will be money paid to Calcaria by clients which hasn't been passed over to the tour operators yet and it is ABTA's job to pay that money to the operators or airlines."

A notice outside the company's Sherburn shop advises customers with outstanding bookings to contact the tour operator's credit control department.

Any other queries, it said, should be directed to ABTA's claims department on 0207 3072041.

Calcaria Travel owner Bryan Ransome said today it was a great shame but declined to make any further comment.

He referred the Evening Press to Leeds-based Rushworth & Partners, a legal accountancy and insolvency service, where partner Justin Rushworth declined to comment.

Maureen Reed, who managed the Calcaria shop in Tadcaster for 20 years, has been appointed manager of the same office by Travelwise.

She said today that the developments had come as a great shock to staff.

Mrs Reed said: "The tragic events of September 11 were a big factor. Custom started to drop off almost straight away because people were unsure about flying."

Updated: 14:49 Tuesday, November 20, 2001