Introduction: By Mr. John Barden, (UAPROL).

A small number of witnesses originally came forward professing to have seen a large green UFO on the evening of July 30^th., 1981, at approximately 10.45 p.m. Due to media involvement, - (*see press reports/items) - the number of witnesses involved grew rapidly, until the number eventually stood at approximately 200 people, including 9 police officers. Almost without exception the witnesses recount a large object (2” long at arm’s length from nose to tail), at approximately 10-15 degrees angular elevation from horizontal, with the object displaying a white head and green fan tail. Due to the descriptions given by witnesses, the event was treated virtually from the onset as the mass sighting of a large Bolide meteor.

This report represents the findings of the Leicestershire UFO Investigation Network regarding the incident, as extracted from the standard report forms in use at the time, comments made to investigators of the case and from other enquiries made to various other sources.

A small selection of ten individual summarised sighting reports, sampled from a total of over 200, appears below:

Whilst driving towards Coventry on the M1 Motorway, a male witness and his family observed a ‘cornet-shaped’ object overhead. It was very bright, with it’s colour being yellow/green. After a few seconds, the object seemed to disintegrate into several smaller fragments. (Freestone).

22:30: South Leicester Colliery, Ellistown, Leicestershire, UK.

Whilst waiting for his shift to begin, A 46 year-old miner, together with six of his colleagues, noted an unusual object in the sky. He described it as resembling a long, green ellipse with a white tail. It appeared ro be coming from the direction of Hugglestone, and disappeared towards Ibstock.

22:35: - Sketchley Grange, Burbage, Leicestershire, UK.

A male witness was sitting at the rear of Sketchley Grange when he observed an unusual aerial object. It was very bright, clearly defined and green at the front, with an orange tail. The witness estimated the object’s speed at approximately 250 miles per hour with it’s altitude being approximately 500 feet. After watching it for about 10 seconds, the object suddenly disappeared. (Smith).

22:45: - Melton Road, Leicestershire, UK.

Standing with a friend in the back yard of the Camber Engineering factory, Melton Road, Leicester, witness observed a white/red aerial object with a blue/green tail moving much faster than a plane, at about two feet above the rooftops, in the direction of Birstill. It appeared to be two-three feet at arm’s length from nose to tail. The object moved out of vision into trees in the distance, where it appeared to disintegrate into a mass of sparks. (Simms).

22:50: Peveril Road, Ashby Magna, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, UK.

Family of three were standing on the doorstep of their home when they observed an object in the sky travelling at high speed. It was very bright, green at the front and orange at the rear. The object’s speed and size could not be estimated, but it’s altitude was estimated at 300 feet. The object finally disappeared from view behind buildings. (Measures).

22:50: - Tuttle Hill, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, UK.

Whilst walking up Tuttle Hill, a married couple witnessed a green cone-shaped aerial object crossing the sky. It was the size of a pea at arm’s length and very bright, with a sharp outline. It was said to be moving very fast and soon passed out of view and disappeared behind houses. (Marston).

22:55: - Cedar Road, Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, UK.

A female witness was in her home, looking towards the water tower in Barwell, when she saw in the sky a bright green ball of light with a green tail that appeared have orange/red sparks coming from it. The object was lost from view behind nearby trees. (Potts).

23:00: - Smorral Lane, Bedworth, Warwickshire, UK.

A male witness, together with his wife and two children, saw a bright red/orange ball of light with a slight tail, moving at a fast speed. It then broke up into two pieces which subsequently seemed to disintegrate. (Armson).

23:00: - Ashby Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, UK.

Looking out of her front room window, a female witness observed a tadpole-shaped aerial object travelling at a slow speed at an estimated height of 300-400 feet. It was very bright with a red and white outline and as big as a tennis ball at arm’s length. The witness lost sight of the object as it passed behind a house. (Chuter).

23:00: - Haddenham Road, Leicester, UK.

Three witnesses observed an aerial object move parallel to the Narborough Road towards Coventry. It had the apparent size of a 2 pence coin at arm’s length, moved very fast and was very bright. It did not leave a trail, but appeared to create a wash effect in front of it. (Ashwell).

In one particular case, a witness residing in Coventry reported that he had discovered that a large crater had appeared in the vegetable plot his back garden whilst he was away on holiday, and, after he had read some of the publicity surrounding the July 30^th. 1981 ‘fireball’ sightings over the Leicestershire and Warwickshire areas, was incorrectly presumed to be connected to the case. A separate report follows concerning this particular occurrence together with the eventual investigation findings.

Site Report, of possible Meteorite impact area. By Mark Brown, (EMPRA).

This visit was made at Mr. Canwell’s request .

The Canwell family returned home from their holidays Friday, August 14^th., 1981 and noticed a large burrow or crater in their vegetable patch which was situated behind a copse of fruit trees, at the top of the garden which was 350 yards long in total. Mr. Canwell found the shape and excavation of the hole sufficiently strange not to disturb it, or the vegetables surrounding it. It was at this stage that Mr. Canwell decided to contact LUFOIN, On arrival at the Canwell’s home our initial moves were to record the discovery of the crater and the circumstances leading to this, and then to survey the whole area for signs of radiation in excess of normal levels.

This check seemed to indicate a marginally higher level of radiation in the impact area. This led to the digging of a second burrow in a location containing similar soil and vegetation, in an attempt to ascertain whether this higher level of radiation was something inherent in the soil, such as Fertilisers, etc., however, this dig did not result in a higher than normal level of radiation.

Having checked the garden and found nothing of a harmful nature, our next step was to map and sketch the locations of notable features. The actual burrow or ’crater’ itself, resembled an egg-shaped indentation with eroded edges, which suggested that as very little rain occurred during the week 8-15^th. August, it had been formed prior to the very heavy rainfall of Tuesday, August 6^th. The impact, or formation of the crater had led to the displacement of a large volume of top soil. This soil appeared to have been thrown or propelled forwards in a blanket burying the lower leaves of surrounding Cabbage plants, and showering the upper leaves of surrounding plants within a distance of two feet.

Dear Mr. Brown, Thank you for your letter of the 2^nd. September and for sending me the suspect meteoritic material from Coventry. I have now carefully looked at the two specimens and must confirm your thoughts that they may well be man-nade substances. Herewith are my findings:-

Sample 2. From Coventry. Slag resulting from either coal-coking processes or pipe-working, consisting of ferric silicates.

I sincerely hope that these observations may be of value to you and assure you that I shall be happy to examine any suspect material which may originate from any subsequent observations you might make.

Sincerely, Dr. R. J. King.

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Selected press items regarding the event are reproduced below.

(Item 1): Nuneaton Evening Tribune - August 5^th., 1981 - Green UFO spotted in Earl Shilton…

An Earl Shilton housewife who claims to have spotted an unidentified flying object over the Barwell area last week, is wondering if others may have seen it too. Mrs. Potts, of Cedar Road, Earl Shilton, reported that as she was looking out of her bedroom window at about 11 p.m. last Thursday she saw a very bright green object travelling low over the Barwell area. Although the object was only in view a few seconds, Mrs. Potts said she could clearly see a bright yellow cone-shaped “tail” behind the object, which seemed to also contain some orange similar to flames from a rocket. Mrs. Potts added that the object wasn’t making any sound that she could hear although it did not seem all that far away. She said that the UFO finally vanished behind nearby trees. (51/77/81/A-200).

(Item 2): Leicester Mercury, August 7^th., 1981 - Technicolour UFO baffles society…

A LARGE green UFO spotted by Earl Shilton woman Mrs. Christine Potts last week is causing a lot of interest. The Leicestershire UFO Investigation Network has investigated the sighting and had about 10 people come forward saying they saw the object at about 11. p.m. last Thursday, including a Bedworth police constable. Most of these sightings were in Warwickshire. The organisation’s investigation co-ordinator, Mr. Graham Hall, said no definite conclusion had been reached about what the UFO could be, but it seemed likely that the object was a piece of space debris. “We have had similar things in the past and they usually turn out to have normal explanations” he said. Mrs. Potts described what she had seen. “It was coming from behind a tree. It was very bright green and it gradually came into focus and was just like a big ball,” she said. “At the back it had a V shape like an ice cream cone, which was yellow. “It travelled along and went behind another tree. It did not make any noise. “I always thought UFOs were black or grey. I did not expect Technicolor,” she added. (51/77/81/A-200).

(Item 3): Nuneaton Evening Tribune - August 12^th., 1981 - UFO fireball theory…

Mrs. Christine Potts of Earl Shilton was not alone in spotting a mysterious green object in the sky on July 30. Many other people had similar sightings, the Leicestershire UFO Investigation Network report. The group say they have received dozens of calls over the past two weeks from people living in the Midlands area, claiming to have seen a similar object to the one seen by Mrs. Potts. The object, described as round, green and with a bright yellow cone-shaped tail, was spotted travelling slowly over the Midlands area, heading west at about 10.45 pm on July 30. It was seen from as far away as Birmingham before it finally vanished. A Bedworth policeman, who thought the object looked strange, logged the sighting with his desk sergeant who later contacted the investigators. Mr. Graham Hall, the group’s spokesman, said: “We have discussed the sightings with a member of the Leicester Astronomical Society and are now working on the theory that the object could have been a large fireball meteor that entered the earth’s atmosphere over eastern Britain and then finally broke up over the Midlands. “We are interested in finding as many witnesses as possible in order that the object’s trajectory could be plotted more accurately. “If it was a fireball, it may be possible that the object finally disintegrated, scattering particles over a wide area. “If we can pinpoint exactly over where this occurred, it is possible that landed fragments could be found, especially in open areas such as farmland.” (51/77/81/A-200).

(Item 4): Leicester Mercury, August 12^th., 1981 - UFO may have been a fireball…

INVESTIGATORS in Hinckley are working on the theory that a green unidentified flying object first reported by an Earl Shilton woman could have been part of a large fireball meteor. The object, described as round, bright green and with a yellow, cone-shaped tailpiece, was first spotted by Mrs. Christine Potts, of Cedar Road, Earl Shilton on July 30. Since then, the Leicestershire UFO Investigation Network has received “dozens” of calls from the Midlands. A Bedworth police constable even logged the UFO when he returned to the police station after his duty. Now, a spokesman for the UFO group thinks the object could have been a fireball that entered the earth’s atmosphere over eastern Britain and then broke up over the West Midlands. “If it was a fireball, it may be possible that the object finally disintegrated, scattering particles over a wide area,” he said. If we can pinpoint exactly where this occurred it is possible that landed fragments could be found.” He wanted to hear from as many people as possible, who saw the object, so that its course could be plotted more accurately. (51/77/81/A-200).

(Item 5): Coventry Evening Telegraph, August 13^th., 1981 - UFO fireball theory…

A UFO seen by dozens of Midlands people may have been a fireball, says a probe group. Checks are being made by the Leicestershire UFO Investigation Network about the round, bright green object which had a yellow cone-shaped tail. Graham Hall, group investigations co-ordinator, has appealed to anyone who saw the object on July 30 to contact him. (51/77/81/A-200).