Northern UFO News - No 100

Magazine Overview

This is the 100th issue of Northern UFO News, published by NUFON (Northern UFO Organisation) and dated January/February 1983. It is edited by Jenny Randles and features a cover design by Ian Mrzyglod. The issue marks a significant milestone for the publication, which has been in circulation since May 1974, and also precedes NUFON's tenth anniversary in the spring of 1983. The magazine announces a new, professional style, bi-monthly publication format and the adoption of the subtitle 'UFO RESEARCH NORTH' to strengthen ties with other research groups.

JR COMMENTS: The UFO Report Decline

Editor Jenny Randles addresses the alarming decrease in UFO reports, noting a steady decline since the peak of the British wave in 1977. NUFON figures show a dramatic drop from 332 reports in 1977 to just 38 in 1982. Randles suggests several contributing factors: the public's potential 'switch-off' due to media saturation, particularly following films like Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind', and a significant reduction in the number of active UFO investigators. She argues that while the total number of reports is down, the focus is shifting towards in-depth investigation of selected cases, which she believes is more scientifically valuable than a large volume of less detailed reports. Despite the current 'trough' in UFO activity, Randles anticipates a potential new wave around 1987, based on previous ten-year cycles.

Media Matters: UFOs in the Public Eye

This section, written by Jenny Randles, details the media's reaction to the film 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' and its impact on UFO coverage. Randles recounts her experiences dealing with journalists from various national newspapers and local radio stations, often finding their approach sensationalized or misinformed. She highlights a competition run by The Sun, a story in the News of the World featuring John Searle, and a more balanced interview in the Daily Express. Randles also mentions her participation in radio programs, including BBC's 'Woman's Hour', which generated new case reports. The section also touches upon the 'eccentric inventor' John Searle and his controversial claims.

Books of the Moment

This segment reviews two novels by Anglo-American author Patrick Tilley: 'MISSION' and 'FADE-OUT'. While 'MISSION' deals with metaphysical themes and the resurrection of Christ with UFO connotations, 'FADE-OUT' is considered more directly relevant to ufology. 'FADE-OUT' concerns a global electromagnetic blackout caused by a giant UFO that lands and is subsequently covered up by the US government. The review praises the book for its depiction of a truly alien phenomenon and notes that a film adaptation was planned but shelved in favor of Spielberg's 'Close Encounters'.

For Your Perusal

This section provides brief reviews of several publications and newsletters:

• MAGONIA No. 11: Critiques the 'Birth Trauma Hypothesis' regarding UFO abductions and includes a Christmas quiz.
• INFINITY No. 1: Introduces a new magazine from a 'neo-science' society, featuring an article on 'Science, Philosophy and the Psychic'.
• UPIAR RESEARCH IN PROGRESS No. 1: Highlights a statistical study of Iberian UFO cases from 1950-1977.
• FORTEAN TIMES No. 38: Features an article on the psychometry of cattle mutilations.
• THE LEY HUNTER No. 94: Reviews the 82 moot and discusses UFOs and earth energies.

Sky Notes

Compiled by Peter Warrington FRAS, this regular feature provides astronomical data to assist investigators in identifying celestial objects. It includes tables for sunrise and sunset times for the Sun and Moon for January, February, and March 1983, at specific latitudes in the UK. It also details the visibility of prominent planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) and lists expected meteor showers for the period.

Spot the IFO

This recurring segment presents a case for which a reasonable identification has been found, with the solution provided upside down at the bottom of the next page. The first case involves a young telecommunications operator who reported a vivid blue light and an 'alien' voice at a Skelton transmitter. The solution suggests it was the Russian booster rocket from Cosmos 1068.

Brief Cases

This section details several recent UFO investigations:

• Case 8085 (Edinburgh, Scotland): A lorry driver reported a close encounter involving a dark oval shape, three human-like figures in silver suits, and a message about protecting the planet.
• Case 8086 (Clatterbridge, Wirral): Gerry Marsden, lead singer of Gerry and the Pacemakers, reported seeing a bright white light that moved erratically before shooting across the sky at high speed.
• Case 8169 (Point of Ayr, Clwyd): An anonymous Dan-Air employee reported a pulsing ball of white light seen by a cargo plane crew near Liverpool Airport.
• Case 8235 (Wigan, Gtr Manchester): Three women reported seeing a spinning top-shaped object that became reddish, followed by a terrifying figure emerging from a 'sucking, croaking' noise.
• Case 8238 (Corby, Northants): Mr. and Mrs. B reported a brilliant blue flash of light from an object hovering over pylons, accompanied by power fluctuations and a loud humming noise.
• Case 8239 (Ilkley, West Yorks): Three nurses saw a bright glare above Cow and Calf Rocks that descended rapidly and appeared as two circular balls side by side.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Northern UFO News include the ongoing debate about the decline in UFO reports, the challenges of media coverage of UFO phenomena, and the importance of rigorous investigation. The editorial stance, as expressed by Jenny Randles, is one of cautious optimism regarding the future of UFO research, emphasizing the value of quality over quantity in case reports and the potential for a resurgence of sightings. There is a clear effort to foster a sense of community and cooperation among UFO research groups, as evidenced by the adoption of the 'UFO RESEARCH NORTH' subtitle and the encouragement for associate groups to use this communal link.

Title: Northern UFO News
Issue: TWELVE
Date: August 13, 1982

This issue of Northern UFO News, published by NUFON (Northern UFO Network), focuses on two significant aerial encounters investigated by UFO research groups. The primary article details a multi-witness close encounter that occurred on the night of Friday, August 13, 1982, above the Lancashire coalfields in the UK, while a secondary report covers an airborne sighting by a commercial aircraft crew near Brindisi, Italy, on June 21, 1982.

Multi-witness Close Encounter: Abram, UK (August 13, 1982)

The main feature, investigated by MUFORA and DIGAP, recounts a complex sighting that began around 21:30 on August 13, 1982. The initial report in the Lancashire Evening Post described 'Close Encounters of Three Kinds.' The investigation, led by Peter Hough for MUFORA and involving DIGAP, included initial interviews, a full-scale investigation, and later re-interviews with primary witnesses and on-site examinations by Jenny Randles and Peter Hough on October 21. The case is highlighted as one of the most interesting of 1982.

The events primarily took place around Abram, near Wigan, in Greater Manchester, an area noted for its history of UFO reports, described as a 'triangle' rich in UFO tales, comparable to Warminster in factual claim.

The Lydon Family Sighting

Mr. Brian Lydon, a furniture salesman with a background in mining surveying, and his wife Beryl, were the principal witnesses. Their home in Abram has a garden facing south, adjacent to open playing fields offering views towards Winter Hill and Manchester. At approximately 21:30-21:45, Mrs. Lydon noticed a prominent object through their lounge window. She called her husband, and they went into their rear garden to observe a large, greyish, cigar-shaped object moving slowly from southwest to east. They described it as having a line of square 'portholes' emitting bright light along its length, with a bright orange/red glow at the rear that seemed to leave a trail. Mrs. Lydon recalled the rear as 'teat shaped,' a detail Brian did not recall.

They moved to the playing fields for a better view. There, they encountered a neighbor, Mr. S, and his nephew, who were also observing the object. Suddenly, their attention was drawn to the colliery floodlights where two small lights were seen circling. Simultaneously, a fourth object, described as arrowhead or ice-cream cone-shaped, moved very fast from the Winter Hill direction, appearing to streak along almost at ground level. This object was greyish with two orange lights at the rear, a white light on the nose, and a white light spreading a fan-shaped ray underneath.

When the Lydons refocused on the cigar object, its porthole lights were dimming and brightening. At this point, around 22:00, they decided to drive to a nearby location known as The Valley, adjacent to Crank Wood, to get closer. The arrowhead object reportedly reached the primary cigar object first and disappeared into or behind it. The other lights were still visible.

Upon reaching The Valley, the cigar object was visible over Crank Wood, moving slowly northeast. Two lights were ahead, one stationary, the other heading towards the Lydon's car. The cigar object moved behind trees, with Beryl Lydon observing it move 'end-on' in a 'step' fashion, alternating between horizontal and vertical planes. As the light approaching them increased speed, Brian decided to leave. He was distracted by what appeared to be two car headlights coming down the track from the woods. Feeling hemmed in, he reversed the car and turned in the Abram Alloys factory apron. Glancing back, he saw a single ball of orange light where the headlights had been, heading towards them. He drove off, and nothing further was seen. They reached home around 22:25.

Other Encounters and Effects

Later that evening, the Lydons' ten-year-old son, Michael, reported seeing lights and sparks coming out of Crank Wood from the canal banks. Interviews with Mr. S and his nephew corroborated the Lydons' story. Mr. DL, a neighbor, independently saw the cigar object for 10 minutes around 22:00 from his landing window, with a similar description but for the tail 'fin.' Two women involved in the 'Rat-Man' case had seen a bright object with white lights hovering above Wigan at 21:50, heading towards Winter Hill. A Mr. and Mrs. P also reported seeing two round silver lights and a silver cigar in a triangle formation towards Winter Hill around the same time.

Brian Lydon reported alleged physical effects: on the following Sunday, his car's lights would not work, with two blown fuses and charred wiring. He believes this was linked to the close approach of the object, recalling his indicator light failing on the Friday. Beryl thought she smelled burning at the time of the car malfunction.

Conclusions and Geological Theories

The investigators acknowledge the complexity of the case and Brian Lydon's history of other paranormal encounters, including ghosts and precognitive dreams. While acknowledging Lydon's tendency to sometimes misidentify aircraft as UFOs and his 'weird theories,' the investigators were satisfied that the original report described something unusual. The report notes the area's geology, with fault lines near the surface, including the Pennington Fault. Brian Lydon mentioned recently digging up a surprisingly rich vein of quartz. When asked about this, he suggested, 'I think they come here after quartz,' linking it to the piezoelectric effect and the 'extraordinary lightshow.'

Airborne Incident Over Italy (June 21, 1982)

Investigated for BUFORA by Peter Warrington and Philip Taylor, this incident involved a Dan-Air Boeing 737 jet flying from Gatwick to Corfu. On June 21, 1982, two crew members and two passengers briefly observed an object in the skies near Brindisi, southern Italy. The event was reported in the national press.

The Dan-Air Encounter Details

The flight was carrying mostly tourists. Around 11:15 GMT, while descending from 27,000 to 19,000 ft, approximately 45 nautical miles southeast of the Brindisi beacon, Captain Schwaiger drew co-pilot David Robinson's attention to an object at their 11 o'clock position. Initially below them, it drew level as they descended slightly and appeared stationary, maintaining its height. The aircraft passed to its right, and the object was lost from view at the 8 o'clock position, by which time it was slightly above the aircraft's height. The incident lasted between 30 and 60 seconds.

In angular size, the object was about half that of the moon, suggesting it was close (within 2 miles). Captain Schwaiger's initial thought was an aircraft tire falling, describing it as 'doughnut shaped with a slight depression on the top surface.' David Robinson described the lower surface as an upturned saucer and the upper one as rectangular. The passengers favored a rectangular shape. All four agreed on a black, shiny color. No appendages were seen, though the co-pilot reported a bright spot on the upper surface, possibly a sun reflection.

Investigation and Possible Explanations

There was no radar coverage for this part of the flight. Due to language problems and the lack of immediate reporting, the incident was not reported to air traffic control in Corfu but only upon return to England. The investigators noted the aircraft's position (N 40 36.6; E 18 00.2), speed (280 knots ground speed approx. 350-360), and descent rate (approx. 1500 ft/min). Weather conditions were clear and sunny, with a temperature of minus 20°C at altitude and winds of 40 knots.

Weather balloons released from Brindisi at 05:00 and 11:00 GMT were considered. However, the 05:00 balloon would likely have drifted too far, and the 11:00 balloon, while potentially reaching the location, would have taken about an hour and reached much higher altitudes. Attempts to identify other types of balloons were ongoing.

A NATO naval aerial exercise ('Deterrent Force') was in operation on the day of the incident. Given the proximity to the Italian and Greek airspace borders, a target drone from either country involved in the exercise was considered a possibility. The investigators concluded that while the case could not be definitively explained at present, there was a good opportunity for further explanation, and the probability of it being explicable appeared high.

Final Words and Calendar

The 'Final Words' section mentions an article in SHE magazine featuring an interview with Steven Spielberg, who discusses his experiences with UFOs and poltergeists. It also advertises a UFO sweatshirt designed by Paul Yates with light-emitting diodes. A note regarding subscription renewals for 1983 is included, with the cost set at £4.20 for six issues.

The upcoming issue is teased to include a review of the Anglo/French UFO/OVNI conference and a report on 'The Case of the Silent Vulcan.'

A calendar lists upcoming events: a BUFORA lecture on 'To Ride Pegasus' by Richard Beet (SIGAP) on February 5, an UFO/OVNI Anglo-French conference in Boulogne on February 19/20, and another BUFORA lecture on 'Hypnotic Regression' by Harry Harris (MUFORA) on March 5. An international congress is scheduled for August 27-29.

Contact information for various regional UFO research groups under the NUFON umbrella is provided, including SOUFON, NLUPOIG, DIGAP, MIGAP, MUFORA, TUFOS, 33PR, SUFORS, and NUFOIS, along with details for UFO RESEARCH MIDLANDS. MUPON files are accessible via Syd Henley.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently reports on UFO/UAP sightings and investigations, emphasizing detailed witness testimony and the efforts of research organizations like MUFORA, DIGAP, and BUFORA. There's a clear focus on presenting cases with multiple witnesses and attempting to find rational explanations, while also acknowledging the genuinely unexplained aspects. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry into the UFO phenomenon, encouraging participation and information sharing among researchers and the public. The inclusion of geological theories in the Abram case and the systematic investigation of the Dan-Air incident highlight a commitment to thorough analysis.