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North Essex: Lights in the sky
5:55pm Thursday 8th January 2009
Comments (26)Two unexplained objects have been spotted in the skies over north Essex.
As Lorraine Davis and her partner Terry Moore got ready to see in the new year, they witnessed a number of unusual lights in the sky above their home in Newcastle Avenue, Colchester.
Miss Davis, mum to six-month-old Sophie, said: "It was about 11.50pm and we were in our kitchen when we saw a light in the sky. We went out on to the patio and saw two bright yellow lights, some distance apart.
"Then another one came out and then a fourth but as that came the first one disappeared. Then there was a fifth one and then three came out all at once and they formed a sort of triangle shape.
"They all joined up and then there was one bright orangey light."
The couple, who said the lights then just disappeared within seconds of it turning midnight, managed to grab a camcorder and snatch some footage of the UFOs which they have shown to family.
And on New Year's Day, John and Maureen Smith, of East Street, Colchester, said they spotted a large orange-red object in the sky above Jaywick which disappeared into thin air.
The couple had been walking their two dogs on Jaywick beach at dusk when they saw the lights in the sky.
Mr Smith, 68, said: "It was very low and circular, probably about ten times the size of what you would imagine a plane light to be, and it was a very strange colour, reddish orange.
"We did not hear a noise, so we do not think it was an aircraft."
The pair said they would be interested to hear if anyone had also spotted the light or knew what it was.
Your Say YourGazette
Taj, Colchester says...
7:33pm Thu 8 Jan 09
Citizen 139, Colchester says...
7:41pm Thu 8 Jan 09
I found four of them whilst taking the hound for a walk around Xmas. They don't last very long in the air for obvious reasons.
Oh look, a fleet of UFO's http://uk.youtube.co
m/watch?v=j0QtdpgT41
k&feature=related
Smouldering Ewok, Colchester says...
7:42pm Thu 8 Jan 09
Get a life and stop being so negative.
Try a different approach instead seeing as it's the beginning of a new year.
I saw these lights and thought that someone would mistake them for ufo's.
They came from the ground and steadily rose up into the clouds and then docked with the lantern mothership.
Conclusion: A Happy New Year!
Gideon Smythe, Wivenhoe says...
10:39pm Thu 8 Jan 09
KEEP THE GAZETTE IN COLCHESTER.
Boy Wonder, Clacton-on-Sea says...
11:27pm Thu 8 Jan 09
I set 3 of these off on new years eve in clacton.
They are a great idea and look really good.
My partner and I said when we let them off that some "Wally" would call the papers and say they saw UFOs!!!!
If you want to check them out click on this link...............
http://www.play.com/
Gadgets/Gadgets/4-/5
985977/Magical-Flyin
g-Lantern/Product.ht
ml
Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
11:35pm Thu 8 Jan 09
Gideon Smythe wrote:Afraid to say this is already a done deal. Some of the journalists have always been based outside Colchester. Still, am looking forward to hearing more stuff from Clacton. (Coastal edition being merged)
Definately Chinese laterns. KEEP THE GAZETTE IN COLCHESTER.
quindin, Colchester says...
11:55pm Thu 8 Jan 09
We saw these lights too at the same time. We watched them going up actually (they probably were not far from our home)
My kids thought those were UFOs. LOL
I then explained to them that those were Chinese lanterns (paper balloons with some sort of candle or fire inside).
The skies of Brazil used to be full of them when I was growing up every July. They are very pretty to look at, but also dangerous (and that's why they are now forbidden)
I found it hilarious that people are making such a big deal of these lights!
quindin, Colchester says...
11:56pm Thu 8 Jan 09
We saw these lights too at the same time. We watched them going up actually (they probably were not far from our home)
My kids thought those were UFOs. LOL
I then explained to them that those were Chinese lanterns (paper balloons with some sort of candle or fire inside).
The skies of Brazil used to be full of them when I was growing up every July. They are very pretty to look at, but also dangerous (and that's why they are now forbidden)
I found it hilarious that people are making such a big deal of these lights!
Bozzy, says...
9:55am Fri 9 Jan 09
Simon Taylor, Colchester says...
10:03am Fri 9 Jan 09
Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
11:18am Fri 9 Jan 09
deleterious comments, clacton says...
11:56am Fri 9 Jan 09
sitting as i do, reading your comments, laughing out loud enough at times to make my dogs look up.
was it Dylan the dog, or Dylan the long haired bloke sang:
the times, they are a changing..
anyway, i knew of a guy who used white plastic bin liner bags tied one end, filled from the other end with helium balloon gas then tied tight that end too.
to this was tied 3 short pieces of string attached to the bottom quarter of a clear plastic bottle, in which was a lit tea light candle was placed.
i was assured they floated away in gentle night time breezes and could be seen for miles and miles.
Although i do not recomend any person to even think of doing such a terrible thing, one that would bring the media out in a frenzy of speculation as to what the eerie flickering in the night sky ever was,
i am sure it made some people smile as to its purpose.
Vixfoxwatch, Wivenhoe says...
6:37pm Fri 9 Jan 09
Boris, Colchester says...
7:29pm Fri 9 Jan 09
If you disbelieve all those people, why do you think they are mistaken?
Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
9:43pm Fri 9 Jan 09
lindaclaire, Colchester says...
10:29am Sat 10 Jan 09
Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
10:55am Sat 10 Jan 09
deleterious comments, clacton says...
2:24pm Sat 10 Jan 09
Feisty CBC wrote:OK give it up feisty, we know you are from the M O D.
Will everyone please stop scaremongering. They are not chinese lanterns.
Oh -no - no - no, not the ministry of defence, but,
Masters Of Deontology...lol
Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
7:09pm Sat 10 Jan 09
Ivan`s Ear, £50 mil 4 Brooklands says...
8:35pm Sat 10 Jan 09
Feisty CBC wrote:Not to panic feisty,
I've been rumbled :(
i`m a mod too.
we are the mods - we are the mods,
we are - we are - we are - we are the mods.
(repeat the verse)
we are etc...lol
crazyone, clacton says...
9:54am Sun 11 Jan 09
Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
5:48pm Sun 11 Jan 09
Ivan`s Ear wrote:Me old man used to wear drapes.........look out!!!! Flmao
Feisty CBC wrote: I've been rumbled :(Not to panic feisty, i`m a mod too. we are the mods - we are the mods, we are - we are - we are - we are the mods. (repeat the verse) we are etc...lol
Ivan`s Ear, £50 mil 4 Brooklands says...
8:18pm Sun 11 Jan 09
Feisty CBC wrote:Dont go all Quadraphenic on me feisty..
Ivan`s Ear wrote:Me old man used to wear drapes.........look out!!!! FlmaoFeisty CBC wrote: I've been rumbled :(Not to panic feisty, i`m a mod too. we are the mods - we are the mods, we are - we are - we are - we are the mods. (repeat the verse) we are etc...lol
we are the mods - we are the mods:-
repeat until it bores all the others from clacton beach to brighton beach...
did i ever tell you the story about me being beat up in margate when i was sweet sixteen.
the big boys done it and ran away..lol
boy (girl) did i see lights in the sky then, with or without flying ufo`s/chinese lanterns or gas filled balloons...
Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
9:37pm Sun 11 Jan 09
blinky, colchester says...
4:03am Mon 12 Jan 09
Mysterious - a still image from the camcorder footage shot over Colchester on the stroke of New Year.
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ash1992itfc, Great Bentley says...
6:22pm Thu 8 Jan 09