The following sighting was made by Mrs. Patricia L of Temple Hill, Whitwick, together with 15 year-old Phillip B, and his sister, Elaine, (Mrs. L’s nephew and niece), who live nearby. All witnesses were interviewed together and their sighting account is as follows:

It was approximately 6.20 p.m., when Phillip and Elaine called Mrs. L outside to see what they described as bright flashes emanating from a position which was almost directly overhead. Phillip said that there was no actual object seen, just brilliant flashes that Mrs. Lowe said occurred at 4 second intervals. All witnesses agreed that each flash was elongated in shape, as if a central source was sending out long beams of light to the side. Phillip compared the length of each flash to about 15 inches at arm’s length, while Mrs. L and Elaine had the opinion that it was much longer than this. It remained quite stationary in the sky and made no noise. They watched it for about 7 minutes after which time it ceased to flash and was no longer visible. Phillip said that when he and his sister first saw the flashing light, it moved some distance to the right and then returned to its first position where it remained stationary. He added that two other youths in the area had seen the flashing light, and at first they thought that it was lightning.

Information obtained from Hucknall meteorological office established that at the time of the sighting, there was low scattered cloud at a height of 2,500 feet, an high scattered cloud at 4,000 feet. Witnesses said that the flashing light appeared to be a little higher than the low clouds.

After a few enquiries, I ruled out the Leicester Mercury’s explanation that the light was probably a meteorological balloon fitted with a flashing device in case it got into an air lane.

Hucknall told me that the nearest Met office from Leicestershire where met balloons are released is at Aughton, Liverpool. A spokesman told me that they are usually released at 6.15 p.m., and, as the sighting was at 6.20 p.m., he thought it very unlikely that one could have travelled the distance from Aughton to Whitwick in five minutes. He said that if one had reached Leicestershire, it would have gained a height of 5-6,000 feet and would therefore be unrecognisable to the naked eye. He added that met balloons are rarely fitted with flashing devices.

I then contacted the Castle Donnington Airport which lies about seven miles north of Whitwick, and was told that no balloons of any sort had been released. I was also told that no aircraft were in the area at the time of the sighting. The last flight from this particular airport was one to Glasgow at 5.30.p.m.