Secret records reveal UFO history

A BIZARRE government log-book of a decade of UFO sightings in South Yorkshire has been made public for the first time, The Star can reveal.

Flying objects shaped like tennis balls, hovering black spheres, and a series of 10 green lights flying in formation are among the reports recorded by defence officials in Whitehall.

The log-book, published in response to a Freedom of Information request, shows the MoD recorded more than 120 reports of unidentified flying objects across Yorkshire between 1998 and 2006. Of these, 13 were in South Yorkshire.

There was one sighting last year and a report in 2005 of a "thin band of cloud with beams of light coming down" in the skies above Rotherham.

The report added: "lights moved from side to side like search lights".

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The year of the most reports in South Yorkshire was 2001, when five separate reports were recorded. For two consecutive nights in September a large silent object "about the size of a helicopter" was spotted over Sheffield.

Perhaps the strangest report came in November 1999 when a series of 10 green lights was seen in the sky above Carcroft, near Doncaster. A witness reported "they formed a formation, then broke formation, and headed towards a large light".

The majority of sightings appear to have been made by dedicated UFO hunters.

But in November 2001 a South Yorkshire Police officer reported seeing a flying object with a "tennis ball size and shape".

Read classified MOD reports about UFO sightings.

Have you ever seen a UFO? Post your comments below or click here to email. The report added that it had "an orange centre and a black inner line around the circle" and "two bright green flare trails from the rear".

Each year more than 100 UFO sightings are reported to the MoD, which is required to investigate every sighting to establish whether the UK's air space has been compromised.

A spokesman said: "The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity.

"If required, sighting reports are examined with the assistance of the Department's air defence experts.

"Unless there is evidence of a potential threat, there is no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported."

Correspondence between the MoD and members of the public who report sightings of strange objects reveals Whitehall officials remain "totally open-minded" about the existence of aliens from outer space.

Giving details of the MoD's policy on UFOs, the Director of Air Staff said in a lengthy response to the Freedom of Information request: "The Ministry of Defence does not have any expertise or role in respect of 'UFO/flying saucer' matters or to the question of the existence or otherwise of extra-terrestrial lifeforms, about which it remains totally open-minded.

"To date the MOD knows of no evidence which substantiates the existence of these alleged phenomena."

He added: "We believe that rational explanations, such as aircraft lights or natural phenomena, could be found for them if resources were diverted for this purpose, but it is not the function of the MoD to provide this kind of aerial identification service."

The decision to release details of UFO sightings by members of the public between 1998 and 2006 comes as the MoD prepares to publish its UFO files dating back to 1967.

The documents due for release are witness reports of apparent UFO sightings, many by civil pilots and military personnel.

A few are thought to have been investigated further by the military, but the details have never been made public.

Have you ever seen a UFO? Post your comments below or click here to email.

2006: April - a UFO was reported to have been seen across South Yorkshire

2005: August - Rotherham - Thin band of cloud with beams of light coming down.

2001: April - Doncaster - an object seen high in the sky, described as having headlights along the side of it.

September - Sheffield - a very large object about the size of a helicopter spied on two consecutive nights.

November - Armthorpe - South Yorkshire police officer reported sighting a tennis ball size and shape, with an orange centre and a black inner line around the circle, with two bright green flare trails from the rear.

1999: August - Loversall - two UFOs, both flashing different colours. They appeared to be hovering, but no shape could be seen.

October - Dinnington - A light was seen in the sky and then a square shaped object appeared, with lights at each corner.

November - Carcroft near Doncaster - A series of 10 green lights in the sky formed a formation, then broke formation and headed towards a large light.

1998: May - Sheffield - A strange group of lights, seen by various witnesses, moving in irregular patterns before shooting off at great speed.

June - Sheffield - Orange discs the size of tennis balls seen, two side by side, one catching up and one behind.

August - Eckington - Two black spheres close to each other. No lights at all, but the spheres were moving fast.

November - Sheffield - Red ball type object, like the sun, going around in a circle behind the clouds.

Read classified MOD reports about UFO sightings.