These lights were not lanterns

Published: 10:14 AM June 24, 2009 Updated: 3:58 PM November 7, 2020

SIR – I write with reference to the recent story and letters about orange lights in the sky. At about 10.15pm on the evening of June 12, my wife who was returning home from work called me out on to New Street. Along with a group of young adults, we observ

SIR - I write with reference to the recent story and letters about orange lights in the sky.

At about 10.15pm on the evening of June 12, my wife who was returning home from work called me out on to New Street. Along with a group of young adults, we observed five flying objects travelling in file, about 30 seconds behind each other.

They approached Torrington from the west, faster than helicopters and proceeded to pass Torrington to the north of the town. As each craft drew level with the Dartington crystal factory it immediately climbed, without any slowing, to a height of about half a mile.

Each craft made no noise, had no overheard rotors that we could see and were the size of a very large family car. They all had two large orange lights at the front, almost like bright headlights and there were no navigation lights or flashing strobes.

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As each craft started its ascent, the orange lights disappeared; at no time did we see any flashing strobes when this happened.

The first craft to ascend hovered at the height I?have stated and, one by one, all the craft ascended until they hovered closely beside the first craft. It then became too dark to observe the craft any longer, although some of the young adults (with their young eyesight!) could just make out the craft hovering in the same position.