EAST Lancashire has been described as a ‘hotspot for UFO sightings’ after a number of reports to police were made.

Five sightings were reported to Lancashire Police over two years, it can be revealed.

But enthusiasts said sightings were much more regular, with some parts of the region acting as a ‘window area’ for flying objects.

It was revealed that police and fire crews attended when ‘aliens were seen in the sky’ coming out of trees in Church.

The emergency services believed a caravan may have been on fire, but found no evidence of a blaze.

And in Blackburn, there was a report of ‘two lights following each other in the sky, moving slowly and drifting’.

These sightings were logged by police and it was suggested that the UFOs may have been Chinese lanterns.

In Barnoldswick, there was a report of three red lights hovering in the sky before flying off in three directions at very high speeds.

In Padiham, a caller reported seeing bright lights, which she believed to be a UFO, and in Burnley, there was a report of five flying saucers in the sky. Both callers were known to police and understood to have mental health problems.

All of the sightings were logged in 2009-10 and released via a freedom of information request.

Sam Wright, chairman of Probe International, based in Blackpool, said people should be more open-minded about life on other planets.

Mr Wright, 64, said: “Most sightings are aeroplanes and things like that, but there are some where there is no explanation.

“I don’t know where they come from, but they are obviously a highly intelligent civilisation, they are far more advanced than we are.

“This is happening all the time, UFOs are real, that is all I can say.

“If they were bad, they could have destroyed Earth many, many years ago. We don’t have anything to worry about and I am looking forward to one coming down and saying hello to me.”

Watch manager Steve Johnson, from Lancashire Fire and Rescue, said measures were in place to make sure emergency services’ time was not wasted with hoax calls.

He said: “People ring our control room if they think there is an incident happening and the challenge this sort of thing to ensure it is a genuine call.

“We attend if control sees fit.”

East Lancashire UFO reports

  • May 16, 2009: In Padiham, a caller believed she had seen a UFO when she kept seeing bright lights.
  • Dec 31, 2009: A report of five flying saucers in the sky in Burnley was logged with police.
  • May 21, 2010: Three red lights hovering above the ground in Barnoldswick were investigated as UFOs. The lights were reported to have sped off in different directions.
  • July 24, 2010: Reports of two lights following each other in the sky. Moving slowly and drifting. Could be Chinese lanterns.
  • Dec 26, 2010: Aliens were reported to have been seen in the sky coming out of woods in Church. Police and the fire service attended but it is believed the lights were from a Chinese lantern.