Haslingden 'sceptic' spots nine UFOs in night sky (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Haslingden 'sceptic' spots nine UFOs in night sky

6:00pm Monday 12th January 2009 in Rossendale By Jon Livesey, Reporter

Haslingden 'sceptic' spots nine UFOs in night sky

A SELF-confessed “total sceptic” has described his close encounter with nine suspected UFOs.

Peter Green, of Private Lane, Haslingden, reported seeing the flying objects, in a diamond formation, while he was walking his dog late at night.

The sighting occurred at 12.30am on Sunday, January 4 – less than four hours before a Lincolnshire wind farm turbine was damaged by a mystery aircraft.

Experts claim there were several reported sightings in Rossendale at that time and have pledged to launch an investigation.

Mr Green, 55, said he was walking his dog in Grasmere Road when he saw a moving, bright, solid-orange light.

Mr Green, who runs a carpet and upholstery care company, said: “As the first light, which seemed to follow the Rossendale Valley, came closer at what seemed a considerable speed, it rose almost vertically over the other side of the valley above Scoutmoor Wind Farm, followed at regular two-to-three second intervals by a further eight identical objects.

“Once all nine lights had risen to a height when their brightness was faded, they gathered in a ‘diamond nine’ formation, then one by one – in the order they had passed me and risen – they faded and disappeared, or simply gained further height and went out of sight.”

He added: “I was scared because I couldn’t find any logical explanation.

"It wasn’t like the different coloured flashing lights you see on an aircraft or helicopter.

"They were solid orange balls which made no noise. It was weird.

“I’m a total sceptic, but it was like something out of Close Encounters.”

Later that morning, at around 4am, a 20m-long blade was knocked from one of the 20 turbines at Conisholme Fen near Louth, Lincolnshire.

Lancashire-based experts described Mr Green’s sight-ing as “very interesting.”

Phil Catterall, of Bolton UFO Society, said they would be investigating the incident.

“I’ve had around four phone calls and emails saying they saw exactly the same thing and that was before the story about the wind farm,” he said.

A MOD spokesman said they would only investigate if they believed there was a threat to national security or there had been an incursion in UK air space.