Winkleigh UFO mystery

UFO researchers are trying to throw some more light on a mysterious sighting in Winkleigh earlier this week. The bizarre close encounter happened following an evening visit to a Christmas fair at a neighbouring village on Monday (December 12). The witness

UFO researchers are trying to throw some more light on a mysterious sighting in Winkleigh earlier this week.

The bizarre close encounter happened following an evening visit to a Christmas fair at a neighbouring village on Monday (December 12).

The witness contacted the Truro-based Cornwall UFO Research Group to report the sighting and group chairman Dave Gillham contacted the Gazette to appeal to any other witnesses to get in touch.

Mr Gillham said the witness saw a "strange yellow orangey light" approaching from the south west as he unpacked his car at his farm in the village

The man said: "I went inside and told my wife that there was a strange light in the sky.

"We both went outside and there were now three lights lying about 300-yards astern of each other all making exactly the same course.

As the first passed over us at about the speed of a small plane there was absolutely no sound. They passed overhead as we both watched and my wife got a little scared and went inside the house.

"I watched them fly in silence towards the east. Then there was a fourth - it took exactly the same course and flew over the farm in silence and was gone.

"If I was to describe them they were like brilliantly lit up stars with wings, almost like hang gliders. But they were not; they didn't circle or soar, they kept to a rigid course and in my humble opinion these were UFOs.

"There was huge military activity in the sky the next day with helicopters and twin-engine spotter planes so maybe it was a coincidence but who knows?"

The popularity of Chinese paper lanterns have been blamed for an increase in UFO sightings, although these are usually launched during the summer months when the weather conditions are more suitable.

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Did you see the strange lights in the sky near Winkleigh that evening? If you did, contact the Gazette newsroom on (01271) 345056 or email the Cornwall UFO Research Group at info@cornwall-ufo.co.uk