For those who remember August 2004 in the UK, you'll recall it was cool, wet and thundery, but for Staffordshire UFO Group it was an eventful time. From the start of that month we had been made aware of a sighting by a retired RAF Engineer of an orange ball of light late one night in the area of Cannock. Events took a sudden turn on Saturday 7th when a call was received again from Cannock at 9:55pm.
The witness described an orange ball of light seen at around 9:40pm which was silent and stationary with an unusual triangular shaped pattern in its centre. The object hung in the sky for several seconds before shooting away at high speed. The following day more reports came in describing a similar object either shooting across the sky or remaining stationary for short periods.
Now statements have been analysed, it is now possible to ascertain that the first sighting occurred in Perton near Wolverhampton at 4:20pm where video footage was taken of 6 silver objects high in the sky in two 'V' shaped formations. Analysis of this footage indicates that the objects are not wind borne with some unusual anomalies that are still being analysed.
The second report comes from Shenstone at 5.45pm (again in daylight) of a bluey/white light. Subsequent reports were received from Stafford and Millford of an orange ball of light at around 9:20pm. A photograph was taken at Shugborough Hall showing a curious orb of which the photographer was unaware.
Sightings of this orange ball of light often described as having something at its centre were then seen between Stafford and Cannock and later in the areas of Shenstone and Lichfield up until the early hours of the 8th August where again video footage was taken at 2am on the 8th .
The strangest thing about these sightings is the shear number of reports that were received, not just from the night time but daytime also. In addition, two independent video recordings were made of both the daytime objects and the orange ball of light. Also two individual photographs were taken, one from Millford, the other in Shenstone.
In conclusion and notwithstanding the fact that research is incomplete, the sightings have proved beyond any shadow of doubt that people were witnessing something.
The photo and video footage will never prove that the objects witnessed were extraterrestrial but the body of witness testimony adds credence to the evidence surrounding the facts: 'something did happen, something was photographed', ‘something was out there.’
The investigation will continue!
Graham Allen (SUFOG)
Staffordshire UFO Group
Note: The still is from footage taken at approx 2 am 8th August 2004 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK.
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