Is a lantern cause of the Hayling UFO?
Emergency services were called after strange, glowing, orange orbs were spotted in the night sky.
The flying objects were seen whizzing over the south of Hayling Island at 10.30pm on Saturday.
David Powell and his son, Lawrence, had just parked up in Sandy Point Road when they saw the six orb-like spheres high up above the sea.
The 63 year-old businessman, said: 'What we saw was so shocking it felt like we were cemented to the ground.
'We got out the car, looked up and there they were, perfectly still, very similar to The Plough constellation.
'I went into my back garden and there were just three or four of them left but they had moved position. I went upstairs to look at them through binoculars and all I can say is that they looked like stars. They must have been there about eight minutes before they disappeared. I've simply never seen anything like it before.'
Alan Campbell, 72, was so shocked when he clapped eyes on the strange UFOs that he stopped a passing cyclist to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
'I was so puzzled by what was in front of my eyes. There were six really big, glowing, orange lights that came from the sea end.
'There didn't make a single sound. The cyclist couldn't believe what he was seeing either. They were still there when I got home a few minutes later and my wife was shocked.'
Solent Coastguard received a call at 10.24pm on Saturday from a woman who saw them but an investigation showed no one was in distress at sea.
Helen Chivers, a meteorologist at the Met Office said there was no weather explanation for the lights and it was a clear night.
But Richard Judd, president of Hampshire Astronomical Group, was sceptical. His members received reports but he believes they were either Chinese lanterns – mini hot air balloons, pictured above, made of paper with their own fuel block – or maroons, a type of flare or firework.
He said: 'We have had a few calls about this but I'm sure there is a very physical and earthly reason for them.'
Mr Powell, of Sandy Point Road, is not convinced. 'They were not Chinese lanterns,' he said. 'All I know is I saw something very strange in the sky and there is no explanation for it.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Friday 25 May 2012
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