Northern UFO News - No 141

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 141
Date: February 1990
Publisher: Not specified
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of Northern UFO News, edited by Jenny Randles, focuses on UFO sightings in Staffordshire, alleged government cover-ups, and reviews of recent UFO literature. The cover features a sketch of a figure looking upwards at a cloud formation, with the headline "NORTHERN UFO NEWS SUBS: £6 for six".

Staffordshire UFOs: A Sequel

The lead article, "J. R. Comments...", addresses the mass sightings in Staffordshire that occurred over the past 18 months. It revisits the initial reports and the involvement of MP Bill Cash, who was reportedly annoyed by the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) explanation that the lights were merely holiday air traffic into Birmingham. The magazine had previously suggested alternative explanations, including F-19 (Stealth) test flights and a refuelling exercise involving aircraft from RAF Brize Norton. The author expresses frustration with a recent article by Barry Heafield in the "Staffordshire UFOs not consistent with aircraft" guise, which reviewed Tim Good's "UFO Report 1990" but contained what the author deems "curious allegations".

The article details the progression of the investigation, including Bill Cash's appeal for witnesses and his subsequent communication with the MoD. It highlights the role of Clive Potter of LUFOIC and BUFORA, who investigated the case and received assistance from the MoD in the form of other reports for that night. The conclusion favoured the refuelling exercise, with Clive Potter questioning why the MoD, with its resources, could not reach the same conclusion. The author states that this was a "sensible, first class UFOlogy" case, now logged with BUFORA.

Critique of Media and MoD Explanations

The issue criticizes the media's handling of UFO information, particularly the "Staffordshire Newsletter" for its reporting. It notes that the paper suggested "no satisfactory explanation has been forthcoming from any quarter, including the British UFO Research Association", which the author interprets as a dismissal of their refuelling exercise conclusion. The article also addresses Tim Good's charges of a cover-up, extending this to the police and government, and questions the sanity of some UFO investigators.

A frank letter from Clive Neville of Air Staff 2 (the MoD's "UFO department") to Clive Potter is quoted. Neville clarifies that the MoD merely suggested the sighting *could* have been caused by extra air traffic around Birmingham, rather than concluding it was the case. He also admits that due to a lack of time and resources, he was unable to definitively establish if it was a tanker exercise. Neville expresses disappointment that the MoD's response was treated as "yet another" example of MoD secrecy, stating they do not attempt to cover up phenomena and that their replies are often rudimentary due to the subject's low priority within the MoD.

The author laments that media, UFOlogists, and MPs often fail to combine forces effectively, leading to the truth being a casualty. The article concludes by emphasizing the need to find out what is happening rather than resorting to cries of "cover-up".

Book Reviews

The UFO Report 1990 (Ed) Tim Good

This review, arranged by Tim Good himself, describes the book as similar in concept to BUFORA's "UFO World" series but more akin to "Phenomenon" in intent. While acknowledging some good chapters, it criticizes others for "hypocrisy" and "mistaken assumptions". The chapter by George Wingfield on crop circles is noted for its mystical ideas but also for factual inaccuracies. Ralph Noyes' piece on the Rendlesham Forest case is considered "actually not bad" but wide of the mark in places. The book includes catalogues of cases from China and the USSR, and material on crash-retrievals, Gulf Breeze, and Mundrabilla. Despite being criticized for being "too lightweight" compared to "Phenomenon", it is seen as a "general introduction to 'ETH' style UFOlogy" that requires "some discrimination" from the reader.

Perspectives by John Spencer MacDonald/Futura

This book, by a co-editor of BUFORA's compilations, is described as having a "very particular line" that is "ultra-sceptical". While not a bad book, its hypothesis is presented in a way that is "needlessly over-the-top and tough to digest". The review notes a "particularly vindictive attack" on investigators and suggests that the author's conclusions in the latter pages seem disconnected from the rest of the text. The author is criticized for generalizing from only a few cases and for being unfamiliar with the practical aspects of UFOlogy gained from interviewing witnesses. However, the book is praised for asking pertinent questions, such as "Would there be any abductions without abduction researchers?", and for provoking a reaction, distinguishing it from other titles that merely rehash old material.

For Your Perusal: Other Publications

This section provides brief reviews and listings of other UFO-related publications:

• UFO Times: Described as improving and looking slick and glossy, with articles on OOBE-abduction interface and witness-centred methodology.
• J. of Meteorology: Features reports on crop circle formation by wind vortex and new eyewitness accounts.
• AWARENESS: Includes a statistical analysis of crop circles and a "Wanted" offer for the crop circle hoaxer.
• SPI: A packed issue with "spooky stuff", including a piece on crop circles and a defense of the Eduard 'Billy' Meier case.
• Ley Hunter: Covers news on earthlights, leys, and stone circles.
• IUR: Previews an investigation into the Roswell crash and discusses folklore versions of aliens and underground noises.
• MUFON Journal: Details Bill Moore's association with US authorities and the Voronezh incident, noting that the latter may have been a hoax orchestrated by an American joker.
• Caveat Emptor: Described as a critical American journal with in-depth interviews and reviews.
• LDLN: A French publication featuring "Lumiers dans la nuit" (lights in the night).

Media Matters

This section examines UFOs in the public eye. It notes the emergence of new UFO groups like TPR (Technical Phenomenon Research) and SPOOKS (Stockport Paranormal, Occult and Other Things Klub). The article critiques the sensationalist reporting of the "Sunday Sport", which allegedly linked UFOs to the Coronation Street actress Bet Gilroy and claimed alien abduction plots. The author expresses concern over misrepresentation and urges the IUN to address the issue.

Brief Cases

UFOs Invade Weatherfield - It's Official!

This report details sightings over Stafford on October 30th, initially attributed to a laser show reflecting off clouds. However, a month later, Heywood became the focus of UFO activity, with reports of "darting lights" described as "flying saucers". The Oldham Chronicle attributed these to powerful lasers and spotbeams, but the "Sunday Sport" sensationalized the event by linking it to Coronation Street and suggesting aliens were attracted to the show's culture.

MERSEY MIXTURE <1> Cases by Margaret Fry

This section presents cases investigated by Margaret Fry. The first case, from December 1957, involves Mrs B and her cousin seeing a shiny metal oval object hovering above Bowring Park in Liverpool. The second case, from September 1969 in Pensby on the Wirral, describes a "moon"-like object moving slowly NW and vanishing. The author notes that while Mr K is certain it wasn't the moon, the astronomical situation at the time did show a half-full moon visible in the sky.

LANDED UFO IN WEST YORKSHIRE HELP REQUIRED

Case 6733, from Summer 1967 in Halifax, West Yorks, describes Mrs C's childhood experience of seeing a large, cigar-shaped object hovering near the ground. The object was made of metal with visible rivet heads. Mrs C also reports other paranormal experiences, including a figure appearing in her bedroom. The magazine appeals for witnesses and photographs of this case.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of Northern UFO News maintains a critical stance towards official explanations for UFO sightings, particularly those from the MoD, and expresses skepticism towards sensationalist media reporting. The magazine champions rigorous investigation and evidence-based conclusions, as seen in its detailed analysis of the Staffordshire sightings. There is a strong emphasis on UFOlogy as a serious field of study, with critiques of both overly credulous and overly skeptical approaches. The reviews of books and other publications suggest a preference for in-depth analysis and well-researched material, while also acknowledging the need for accessible introductions to the subject. The recurring theme is the pursuit of truth in the face of obfuscation and misinformation, whether from official sources or the media.

This issue of Northern UFO News, dated July 1990, is the eleventh in its series, focusing on UFO sightings and related phenomena reported primarily from the United Kingdom. The publication features a collection of case reports, investigations, and discussions within the UFOlogy community.

Key Articles and Case Reports

Bedroom Visitors

This section details several cases of unusual experiences occurring in bedrooms. One case from circa 1974 in Salford involved a 9-year-old boy who experienced 'weird things' in his room, including his walls whirling and a feeling of being hypnotized. He reported seeing 'unusual looking people all in black' by his bed, feeling naked and watched, and then experiencing an 'explosion of fear' leading to a faint. The case was logged but not recommended for further action due to its apparent connection to altered states of consciousness.

Case 76-180 MUFORA: Macclesfield, Cheshire

This report from October 1976 features a 77-year-old woman named 'Gladys' who had seen many UFOs since 1976. Her initial sighting was of a 'great golden ball' that flew towards her. Later, in 1979, she encountered a ten-foot-tall silver man with no face and a much smaller head, experiencing 'electricity' and seeing trees lit up. The investigator, Harry Hudson, suggested many of her sightings might relate to aircraft navigation lights, but could not account for the 'silver man' encounter or its link to the Voronezh incident. Gladys was described as having a 'butterfly mind' and being very familiar with UFOs.

Case 78-287 MUFORA: Clayton, Manchester

On 8 May 1978, a man returning from the hospital saw a yellowish-orange ball in the NE that moved like an aircraft and disappeared in the E. The witness could not provide further details, making evaluation difficult.

Case 80-102 UFORM: Hinckley, Leics

On 26 March 1980, Mrs L reported seeing a yellow light over gardens near the A47, which resolved into several hovering lights upon closer inspection.

Page 2: Case 80-103 CONNECT: Otley Chevin, W Yorks

In late November 1980, Mr S reported seeing a strange object move from the woods near Weston, heading SW over the river. The object was described as a bright orange oval that 'crackled' and had a grey-green mass inside. The sighting is noted as being similar to one by the investigator in Otley on 23 November 1980. The report mentions that Otley Police had advised that some of their officers had followed the UFO in a patrol car.

Page 2: Mrs L's Sighting

As Mrs L approached her car, she observed an object (dimly perceived behind a mass of lights) drifting across the Coventry Road. Further lights were seen beneath the disc-like object, flashing in sequence. She heard a faint humming sound and described the craft as silver-grey, about 20 feet in diameter. The object descended behind houses, then rose again and drifted away. The investigator concluded it was a genuine unknown, despite suggestions of helicopter activity.

Page 2: Faces in the Night

This section discusses reports from Mrs C, who claims to have seen four UFOs. Her most 'close' encounter was on a coach trip to Blackpool in August 1986, where she saw a bright light in the NE 'skipping' through clouds. MUFORA suggested it could be a bright star or planet. Mrs C also mentioned a history of vivid dreams, including 'holocaust' dreams and 'wise baby' dreams related to alien-human hybrids. The report notes her familiarity with abduction lore and Budd Hopkins' work.

Page 3: Mrs C's Experiences

Mrs C's experiences include vivid dreams of strange lands and tugging sensations. Her parents reported her being so deeply asleep in these states that they sometimes thought she was dead. She has had 'holocaust' dreams where aliens destroy the earth, and 'wise baby' dreams involving the birth of an alien-human hybrid. She claims to have discovered Budd Hopkins' work in 1988. At 18 months old, she reportedly scared her household by screaming about a 'man' looking in her bedroom window. She also described a vivid dream of a horrible white face with coal black eyes staring at her. Recent dreams involved 'ugly creatures' coming through her window. Her father also witnessed a blinding light pouring into their bedroom one night.

The article questions the value of regression hypnosis for witnesses like Mrs C, given her strong visual creativity and familiarity with abduction narratives. The decision was made to record her information without further investigation.

Page 3: Case 8659 MUFORA: Parbold, Wigan, Lancs

In October 1986, Mrs D and her friend observed two brilliant lights that appeared as yellow discs with red, blue, and white lights, hovering. The objects were visible for two hours before drifting off. MUFORA initially suggested an astronomical event but the investigator believed the witnesses sincerely saw something odd. Mrs D reported having premonitions and her friend saw another UFO in August 1987.

Page 4: Case 8918 Fylde UFO: Thornton, Lancashire

On 9 January 1989, Mrs C reported an 'urge' to go outside and observed a fuzzy orange 'streetlamp' that moved, changed colour, and drifted away. Colleen Innes confirmed seeing an orange light. Checks with airports and the Met Office revealed nothing unusual, but it was later discovered that a naval college signalling exercise involving helicopters was operational at the time.

Page 4: Case 8919 MUFORA: Chell Heath, Staffordshire

On 3 February 1989, Mr W saw a 'diamond' light with a red light underneath drift slowly downwards and vanish near a golf course. There were no reasons to assume it was not an aircraft.

Page 4: Case 8920 SKYSCAN: Burton on Trent, Staffs

On 23 February 1989, Mr S saw a bright light, twice the size of the brightest star, which he initially thought was sunlight reflecting off a helicopter. Kevin Flannery, a pilot, was convinced it was sunlight reflecting off a light aircraft from a nearby airfield.

Page 4: Case 8921 Fylde UFO: Blackpool, Lancs

On 28 March 1989, Mr B and his son observed eight balls of orange light in a tight formation moving from Southport to Morecambe. The objects moved fast and were fuzzy-edged. Possibilities included a meteor or space debris, or a mirage of ship lighting or helicopter traffic. The sky was unusually clear.

Page 4: Case 8922 MUFORA: Failsworth, Manchester

On 5 July 1989, an elderly lady saw a silver cigar and 'tail' with lights reflected off its surface drifting across the sky. The lack of sound was unusual, but otherwise it was considered holiday air traffic.

Page 5: Case 8923 MUFORA: Salford, Lancashire

On 31 July 1989, Mr C saw two white ovals of light moving in a 'fluttering' path, reflecting light from their surface. They were visible for 12 seconds before disappearing, possibly birds reflecting streetlamps.

Page 5: Case 8925 MUFORA: Southport, Lancs

On 4 October 1989, Mrs S saw a white patch of light in the NE that vanished after 15 seconds. Investigation suggested it was caused by a laser show connected with Blackpool illuminations.

Page 5: Case 8916 MUFORA: Whitefield, Manchester

This case involved Mr and Mrs H who saw a cigar-like object described as a 'test-tube' with a domed nose and a flatter end, which was self-luminous. It moved into cloud before vanishing. The investigator noted that low sun rays might have reflected from a metallic surface. Mrs H was more inclined to believe it was an aircraft towing an advertising banner, while Mr H was adamant it was golden coloured with 'fluid' inside. MUFORA was unable to specifically explain the sighting but accepted the witnesses' sincerity.

Page 5: Case 8926 NLUFOIG: Morecambe, Lancs

On 24 November 1989, Mr T saw a dome with a flat base (triangular shape) with yellow and red lights. It remained stationary for 7 minutes, then moved away to the SE with a red light on top. Mr T has had several paranormal experiences, including a 'ghost' encounter.

Page 6: A New CE 4 from Todmorden

This report details a dramatic incident from late November 1980 involving a witness named Jayne. She reported being woken by a bright orange light, then found herself outside the farm house sitting on the grass looking at a UFO and three entities beside it. She felt numb and unable to stand. The entities wore 'black coloured diving suits' and were described as wearing GREEN suits. After 20 minutes, she was back in bed. Later that morning, over 20 chickens in the farm's run were found dead, located near where the UFO had hovered. Jayne considers herself psychic and believes UFOs are connected with other dimensions.

Page 7: A Conversation with a Witty UFO

This case from 24 March 1988 describes an encounter where a 77-year-old man, Mr R, had a conversation with a UFO probe. The probe stated, "We are just observing your world" and explained that they were taking action because humanity was gaining knowledge too fast and could cause "untold harm". The probe was described as small, about twice the size and same shape as a rugby ball, emitting light but not illuminating the ground.

Page 8: Conversation Details

The conversation continued with the probe explaining that they might have to "take action to reduce your activities" by introducing bacteria and viruses, but would not exterminate humans. The probe stated they were operating from "quite a distance" and possibly within the solar system, but were not revealing their exact location. The conversation ended abruptly when the probe vanished.

Page 9: UFO and the Circles: A New Spurious Link?

On 12 August 1989, Mr and Mrs B saw a strange reddish glow in the SE, near RAF Waddington. They then observed an object on a S-N course, described as "like a pyramid upside down but in-stead of having a square base it was round and there were small cones either side." It was shiny as if metallic and had a cross in the base. The object moved silently, swaying from side to side. Mrs B reported red marks on her abdomen the next day, and also mentioned vivid dreams and premonitions. Two 'crop circles' appeared near their house about a month prior, which she wondered if they were linked, though she admitted they might have been hoaxed.

Page 10: Final Words and Competition

This section includes the results of a competition from the previous issue, identifying Kevin Randle as the winner. It also mentions a rewritten book from Scott Rogo and Ann Druffel. A call for resubscriptions to NUFON for 1990 issues is made, along with an offer for 'UFO Brigantia'.

Calendar: Phantoms of the Sky Conference

Details are provided for the "Phantoms of the sky" two-day conference organized by IUN, scheduled for 14-15 July 1990 at Sheffield Central Library. The event features prominent UFO researchers and speakers, including Budd Hopkins and John Keelis.

NUFON Regional Groups

A list of NUFON regional groups across the UK is provided, including their contact details and locations.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, alleged alien encounters, and related phenomena such as psychic experiences and abduction lore. The editorial stance appears to be one of diligent reporting and investigation, with a degree of skepticism applied where appropriate, as seen in the analysis of Mrs L's and Mrs C's cases. The publication aims to document these events and encourage further inquiry, as evidenced by the call for information on similar cases and the mention of future reports.