BUFORA Newsfile - No.49 - Dec 1996

Magazine Overview

Title: BUFORA NEWSFILE
Issue Date: December 1996
Publisher: BUFORA
Document Type: Magazine Issue

This issue of BUFORA NEWSFILE presents a collection of reports and articles concerning UFO sightings and related phenomena from late 1996. It features a mix of official investigations, witness testimonies, and speculative theories, reflecting the ongoing public and media interest in unidentified flying objects and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Key Articles and Reports

'UFOs could have been planet, star'

This article from the Spalding Guardian reports on sightings of unidentified flying objects over The Wash and Skegness. Several people reported bright lights, prompting an investigation by the RAF and Ministry of Defence. An MoD spokesman suggested the lights were likely a planet or star, possibly Venus, and stated there was no threat to UK air space. However, the report notes that the Ministry of Defence's responsibility is not to investigate UFOs.

UFO report probe

This report from the Gloucester Citizen and Bradford Telegraph & Argus details the Ministry of Defence and RAF investigating multiple sightings of a UFO. Reports of a bright white shining object were received by police in Lincolnshire and over the Norfolk coast. RAF Neatishead confirmed tracking a mystery signal on their radar.

UFO mystery gathers pace

From the Lincolnshire Echo, this article details further sightings of a mysterious flying object in the county. Two women reported a strange white light hovering above their car. This follows a previous report of the Ministry of Defence investigating a possible UFO sighting off the coast picked up by RAF radar. RAF Neatishead detected a mystery object on its screens for several hours, travelling at a speed suggesting it was not a weather balloon.

'They looked like a light show, similar to the effect of a lighthouse'

This piece from the Lincolnshire Echo features witness accounts of strange lights. Clare Simmons described seeing stationary white lights that looked like a light show, similar to a lighthouse effect, moving in circles. Richard West and his family also reported seeing a star-like object flying very fast across the sky, with others moving in irregular patterns.

The truth must be out there..

This section includes a letter from Terry Dobson of Byker, Newcastle, asking about UFO sightings between the time of Christ and the 1940s. The response mentions hundreds of undocumented sightings, including one in Castlecraig in 1592, where a plate-shaped object was seen hovering before speeding away.

Was it or wasn't it? - it's not quite clear

An article from the Salisbury Journal suggests that a lighting effects enthusiast, Richard Hunt, may be responsible for UFO sightings near Salisbury. Hunt's company, Full Power Sound and Light, uses equipment that can create hovering bright lights resembling stationary glows. However, Hunt cannot be certain he wasn't using his equipment on the night of August 4th when three bright lights were seen.

UFO - false alarm or was it for real?

Written by Mark Evans, this article from the Bradford Telegraph & Argus discusses a UFO sighting over The Wash that baffled police, coastguards, and RAF staff. While the Ministry of Defence concluded it was a false alarm, attributing radar readings to Boston Stump and lights to a star, witness accounts from a tanker described flashing red, blue, green, and white lights.

Police chase UFO over Pretoria

This report from the Caribbean Times describes a police helicopter chasing an unidentified flying object over Pretoria, South Africa. The object was also detected on radar screens at Johannesburg international airport and Waterkloof air base.

SIGHTINGS ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD

This section from the Derby Evening Telegraph focuses on the 'flying triangle' phenomenon. The Sinfin-based Phenomenon Research Association has compiled accounts of sightings in Derbyshire, with the craft described as having red, yellow, and white lights. Author Omar Fowler suggests it is likely a new type of alien craft not originating from Earth.

UFO UPDATE with Jon Peake

This column from the Wigan Reporter features a sighting by a 13-year-old pupil who saw a plane followed by a larger, brighter object that caught up and stopped behind it. The column also mentions upcoming events, including a BUFORA meeting and a lecture on the Hale-Bopp comet.

Open minded on the UFOs

This piece includes a letter from B Williams describing a sighting of an object that moved from one point to another in less than a second, stating it was like nothing they had ever seen before.

Tony Evans has no doubt that extraterrestrials are alive

This article from the Oxford Mail features Tony Evans, who believes he saw two UFOs with his son and a friend. They described the objects as white lights zig-zagging at incredible speed.

Boy's UFO shock

From the Aberdeen Press & Journal, this article details a 13-year-old schoolboy, Danny Briggs, who believes he saw a UFO. He described a white light with flashing red and green lights, followed by a disc-shaped thing with six bright lights that flew off.

Secret craft theory on UFO

This article from the Berwickshire News & East Lothian Herald explores the theory that a UFO sighted by two Eyemouth fishing boats could have been a secret test flight of an experimental craft developed by NASA and the US Air Force. The object was described as triangular and black with red lights.

Star trek for local UFO spotters

This piece from the Huddersfield Weekly News announces a lecture on the discovery of Neptune, linking it to increased interest in UFOs, partly due to the movie 'Independence Day'. It also mentions sightings of bright lights resembling discs.

Several sightings of 'triangular, orange UFO'

Reports from the Waltham Forest Guardian and Cambrian News detail sightings of a triangular, orange UFO. Roy Lake, a London UFO specialist, notes an increase in such reports, suggesting something significant is happening.

UFO probe following local sightings

This article from the Dover Express & Kent News discusses a UFO probe triggered by sightings in Dover. UFOMEK is investigating a darting white object and a triangular craft. Witness accounts describe objects that were long, thin, made no noise, and moved erratically.

UFOs 'may have been satellites'

An astronomy expert from Aberystwyth University, James Davies, suggests that sightings of glowing white balls of light over Pencader and Pontrhydfendigaid may have been satellites or rocket stages, based on calculations of satellite visibility.

Half-moon 'UFO' is tracked on video for 40 minutes

Specialist investigators believe Margaret Ross of Falkirk has evidence of a UFO sighting captured on video. The footage shows a pulsating bright object transforming into a half-moon shape with diagonal bars. The object was tracked for 40 minutes.

A real life X-Files man

This article from the Lytham St Annes & Fylde Express introduces Derrel Sims, a former CIA operative and Chief Abduction Investigator, who is speaking at a UFO conference. The conference will feature unseen footage of secret sightings and discussions on alien implants.

THANET'S THE PLACE TO BE FOR ETS, SAYS UFO BUFF

This piece from the Thanet Times suggests that the island of Thanet is being targeted by aliens, based on numerous sightings of a triangular object surrounded by red balls of light. UFO experts are convinced there is a link.

Something in my sky?

This article from the Middleton & North Manchester Guardian discusses the variety of UFO reports, suggesting that while many people see something, there is no consistent pattern to indicate they are spaceships, leading scientists to believe there is no evidence of alien visitation.

Exploring mysteries of crop circle phenomena

This article from the Cambridge Evening News highlights a new book by Andy Thomas exploring crop circle phenomena in Sussex. The book documents sightings and suggests that crop circles may act as catalysts for spiritual growth.

UFO proof is still up in the air

This article from the Birmingham Post discusses the ongoing debate about UFO proof. Philip Mantle expresses doubts about many sightings, suggesting rational explanations are common, while Tony Dodd believes hundreds of people are taken away each year by aliens.

UFO convert

Clive Wood, star of London's Burning, believes he and two actor friends saw a UFO while driving near Nottinghamshire, describing the image as vivid.

Come on down

This piece from The Mercury (Lewisham Borough) by Tony Lord reflects on UFO sightings and alien encounters, drawing parallels with science fiction narratives. Lord suggests that knowledge of alien life might be deliberately kept from the public.

David's guide to life, the universe and everything

This article from the Cumberland News introduces David Trimble, a member of the Aetherius Society, which claims regular contact with extraterrestrials. The society believes in reincarnation and that 'planetary beings' visit Earth.

The universe according to the Aetherius Society

This section details the beliefs of the Aetherius Society, including the idea that all planets in the solar system are inhabited and that humans are constantly reincarnated. It also mentions a 'New Master' arriving to help believers and remove those who do not heed him.

Granny's UFO video shocker

This article from The Daily Sport & Sunday Sport features Margaret Ross, who claims to have captured startling pictures of a UFO with her video camera. UFO researcher Ron Halliday describes the footage as some of the best he has ever seen.

Pauline's personal X-Files

This article from the Birmingham Post profiles Pauline Myers, who claims to have been abducted by aliens. She describes the experience in detail, including a scar on her calf. The article also mentions Linda Inducen, who believes in fairies.

Aliens descend for a close encounter of the third tee

This piece from The Birmingham Post discusses reported sightings of UFOs over Blackwell Golf Course. Dr Richard Lawrence of the Aetherius Society believes it is part of an extraterrestrial plan for contact, advising to look out for 'humanoid' figures.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BUFORA NEWSFILE are the prevalence of UFO sightings, the ongoing investigations by official bodies and private researchers, and the persistent debate between skeptical explanations and the belief in extraterrestrial visitation. The magazine appears to present a platform for a wide range of perspectives, from official denials and rational explanations to detailed witness accounts and theories about alien abduction and advanced technology. There is a clear interest in documenting these phenomena and exploring their potential implications for humanity's understanding of the universe and its place within it.