UFO over Cornwall?

[Anonymous]

My mum told me an interesting story yesterday that I thought I'd share with you. She lives in Newquay, a popular tourist resort by the sea in Cornwall for those who don't know. Her house is situated alongside an estuary with a view of the sea in the distance. She awoke around 4 a.m. on Friday morning (26th) and as she soon had to be up for work anyway she decided to potter around the house rather than go back to sleep. As she got out of bed her bedroom was suddenly lit up by a very bright white light. She assumed this was caused by car headlights and waited for the car to pass. However no car went by and she heard no sound. She went to the bedroom window and drew the curtains to see where the light was coming from. She saw a large white light, about twice the size of a car headlight, that seemed to be quite high in the sky over the estuary. She couldn't make out the source of this light as it was too dazzling and she heard no sound of an engine, car, plane, boat or helicopter. As she watched the light suddenly went out and she saw nothing visible in the sky in the dim dawn light. I suggested to her it may have been a farmer on the cliffs opposite the estuary, where a farm is situated, out looking for something with a powerful searchlight. However she pointed out surely she would have seen the light sweeping back and forth along the cliffs. She has lived in the house for 2 years and has never experienced anything like it before. Any suggestions?

 

[rynner2]

I've only just seen this thread.

My only suggestion is that possibly it was a searchlight from a police or SAR helicopter. I used to be in the Coastguard, and I've had a lot of experience with helicopters, and, although they are normally noisy beasts, it is possible for them to be seen before they are heard, depending on wind direction. This is especially true if the searchlight is aimed in your direction.

This happened to me once on duty at Hartland Point - although we were expecting a helicopter in the area, we did not believe the strange bright light we saw approaching was a chopper until it actually passed overhead and then we heard it!

Another possibility could be aircraft landing lights - perhaps an aircraft approaching Newquay airport from Ireland?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions Rynner. I don't know what the weather conditions were at the time but it could have been a helicopter. There is an almost constant sea breeze that blows up the estaury. However would aircraft landing lights be bright enough to light up her bedroom?

 

[rynner2]

However would aircraft landing lights be bright enough to light up her bedroom?

As she got out of bed her bedroom was suddenly lit up by a very bright white light. She assumed this was caused by car headlights and waited for the car to pass.

Landing lights and (especially) searchlights are much brighter than car headlamps, so could give a similar brightness at much greater distances.

I shall have to go to Newquay and interview Mrs Ron...

MIB rynner

 

[rynner2]

Oh Lordy, here are some more!

Radio Cornwall receives calls reporting lights, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the link Rynner. I grew up in Camelford so the report from that area is quite exciting Shame it didn't go into more detail. I'm intrigued by the explanation for the sightings over Newquay as the lights of the nightclubs reflecting off clouds. Surely the locals would be familiar with this effect? Unless the sightings were made by visitors to the area.

BTW is the picture below your name (I don't know the correct jargon-sorry) based on the triangular UFO sighted over Cornwall some years ago? I remember watching home video footage on the local news that was shot near the Truro area that seemed to show a slowly rotating large triangular craft with coloured lights on each corner and one in the center.

 

[rynner2]

My avatar is loosely based on a triangle report, but I forget from when and where, now! I did have a rotating triangle at one time, but it made me giddy!