Weird lights in the sky set pulses racing
UFO fever is sweeping a South Devon town after a series of mysterious lights flitted across the night sky on Saturday — which saw a record number of such sightings in the UK.
The curious heavenly light show was spotted by Wayne and Jo Taylor as they enjoyed a smoke outside their home in Barnsey Gardens, Ashburton.
Wayne, 40, said: “I just couldn't believe it. I've never seen anything like it in my life before.”
A neighbour told him: “I'm glad you saw them too because I don't want people thinking I'm mad.”
He counted about a dozen, slow-moving circular lights in formation heading towards Dartmoor at 10.20pm.
At the same time star-gazers across the country were being similarly gobsmacked by the apparitions with 200 seen at various points between the South West and Yorkshire.
A spokesman for UFO Investigations UK immediately called for a Government inquiry to explain the deluge of reports from Sussex and Bedfordshire and from Devon to Lancashire and beyond.
“The whole of Ashburton is now talking about it,” said Wayne, who captured mobile phone pictures of the happening high above his home.
“I have absolutely no rational explanation for what I saw. The lights moved at one stage at a 90 degree angle.
“They were not these lanterns that people keep reporting. There was no way of telling how far or close they were. It's very difficult to explain them. They were quite random.”
The spokesman for UFO Investigations UK confirmed that more than 200 people had reported sightings across the UK. Normally the organisation receives 10 to 15 sightings a day.
Just 24 hours later John Farley, a retired bus driver from Kingskerswell, was snapping away at Berry Head in Brixham with a view to increasing his photo portfolio for local competitions.
Glancing through his images on the computer at home, he spotted one which stood out from the crowd because, taking centre stage, was a UFO.
His panorama of the Bay bathed in glorious summer sunshine had a blot on the seascape which had him perplexed.
“I don't know what it is,” he said, scratching his head.
Close scrutiny by the Herald Express picture desk could not help him with his inquiries.
One expert said: “The picture was taken at a thousandth of a second at f4 which would normally make any moving object pin-sharp.
“The fact that John's object is blurred is a bit baffling. I'm afraid we can't identify what's there except to say it's moving pretty damn quickly.”
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by lesley hopkins, torquay
Monday, March 02 2009, 11:14PM
“We too, have seen these strange lights over the bay ! The first was about 2 weeks ago when one of my sons ( a complete sceptic) called & said he had seen a strange orange light hovering in the sky. Then last Sunday, I went into my garden for a bit of fresh air & noticed an orange light in the sky. Tonight about an hour ago, my eldest son was in bed & then shouted, 'Oh my God, look at this in the sky!' The whole family ran to the window or outside (5 of us) & saw 3 orangre lights in the sky. The lights went off in different directions & my husband who was looking out of the top window watched the last light dissapear over the houses in the direction of Barton. We live in Babbacombe. I am sure that many others must of seen these lights. Haven't got a clue what they are, but would be good to find out.”
by Maggie Back, Kingsteignton
Thursday, December 11 2008, 6:49PM
“On Sunday evening, my partner Daren and myself arranged to switch on our Christmas lights. Friends and neighbours gathered in Whiteway Road to see this and enjoy some mulled wine and sausage rolls. We also lit 12 coloured lanterns at approximately 6:15pm. As John Rayner reported, they followed each other high into the sky. The Newton Abbot lady was quite right, one lantern did break away from the group and then drifted back to the others. They continued in the direction of Exeter and lasted approximately 10-15 minutes in total. The lanterns were different colours, not the usual white. So I can assure all your readers that they were not UFO's. We collected for the Devon Air Ambulance and due to the generosity of all those who attended and those who have given since, we raised approximately £75 and we would like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone. The lights are at 29 Whiteway Road and we have a collection box for donations towards this worthwhile charity.”
by Laura, paignton
Monday, October 20 2008, 7:58AM
“I was awake about 4-5am and outside smoking for a long time, but this was summer 2007. I saw a large bright orange light in the sky just sitting there, kept looking to see if it moved but it seemed stationary high in the sky. To the left, from Torquay were another three bright orange lights smaller than the large stationary light, but all the same size and all moving in a line, a bit spaced apart slowly, silently towards the larger light. Was strane to watch, will not forget, they were definately UFO's as I haven't got a clue what they could of been!”
by Richard, Manchester, Torquay (at the time)
Saturday, August 09 2008, 10:07AM
“Just to pick up on the chinese lanterns theme. The objects we witnessed were definately NOT lanterns. They were bright orange not white and they all followed in the same flight direction (travelling on the wind, lanterns would have been dispersed quickly).”
by Louise, Otterton
Friday, August 08 2008, 3:35PM
“I have seen loads of chinese laterns released in Thailand and i know what they look like and what i saw was NOT chinese laterns! Unless someone had strung 15 to 20 together and could control them at low level in a circular motion and make them all disappear together?!”