Images depicting the World Trade Centre are to be been removed from the next version of Microsoft's Flight Simulator game.

Flight Simulator 2002, which is due out in the UK at the end of October, will omit representations of New York's twin towers on grounds of taste, after last week's attack on them which claimed the lives of thousands.

The game includes simulations of flying around the New York and Washington skylines that features the possibility of crashing planes into buildings.

This feature led to speculation, particularly in the UK tabloids, that terrorists may have used the game in training for last week's attack. The "theory" has become discredited after evidence that the terrorists trained as pilots on planes in Florida.

A Microsoft spokeswoman said the game doesn't it itself teach anyone how to fly a plane, but it may act as a useful supplement to flying lessons.

Microsoft is continuing to supply the game (despite some reports to the contrary last week) but a number of retailers, including WHSmith.co.uk have stopped stocking the game. ®

Assault on America: complete coverage