Party lights may be cause of UFOs

The skies above Shropshire and the Welsh border have been filled with strange orange lights over the Christmas and New Year holiday.

From The Wrekin to Llanymynech, and Ludlow to Pontesbury, the unidentified flying objects have mystified Shropshire Star readers. One possible explanation is the growing popularity of Chinese-style "sky lanterns" or "UFO balloons", one-off miniature hot air balloons that can be ordered online for use at parties.

Several Shropshire Star readers contacted us today with their own sightings.

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Retired Major Geoffrey Cook spotted a bright orange light from his home in Rose Grove, Wellington, moving across his view of The Wrekin on Sunday night.

"The sudden speed of its movement, plus the fact that it did not change in intensity, made me think that this was something unusual," he said.

Widow Eleanor Brown, of Pant, saw what resembled "an orange ball of fire" float past her living room at 5.15pm on Boxing Day towards Llanymynech Hill.

"It seemed to hit the rocks in a mass of flames and disappeared completely."

Ludlow lorry driver David Reddard called the police after seeing one light on Christmas Eve, one on Christmas Day and three on Friday last week near Tinker's Hill, off Ludlow bypass.

"The lights were streetlight orange, rose some 2,000ft and disappeared," he said. Retained firefighter Phillip Juson, of Ludlow, saw lights in the same location on Sunday night.

Pontesbury mother Vickie Thomas saw orange lights on Christmas night.