Northern UFO News - No 175

Magazine Overview

Northern UFO News issue 175, published in Autumn 1996, is a UK-based magazine dedicated to UFO phenomena. Edited by Jenny Randles and with cover design by Bill Callaghan, it addresses a range of topics from alleged alien recoveries to news round-ups and reviews of UFO-related media.

Contents

The issue features a variety of articles, including:

• Were aliens recovered in British UFO crash?: This lead story, spanning pages 2-4, delves into the controversial Llandrillo case from January 1974. The author, Jenny Randles, recounts her personal involvement and investigation, initially suspecting a nuclear accident cover-up due to the unusual RAF activity and subsequent media silence. She discusses how the case resurfaced years later with claims of crashed alien bodies and starships, which she views with skepticism, suggesting it might be a deliberate disinformation campaign to discredit the issue. Randles expresses frustration with the media's sensationalism and her own decision to refuse participation in what she perceives as a game of information control.
• UFO Oscars 1997: This section announces a planned event for summer 1997, to be held in conjunction with a cinema's UFO marathon. The event aims to award prizes for the best genuine and faked UFO footage and photographs.
• News Round-up: Pages 5-6 cover various recent UFO-related news items, including alleged tragic UFO losses, the release of NSA files (largely redacted), a hoax involving an intimidating letter, and details about a package holiday to mystic Middle Eastern sites.
• MoD change rules about UFO files: This article discusses the government's decision to make UFO files more accessible via the public record office and to release distribution lists, which the author criticizes as a hypocritical move following a BBC documentary that had already exposed this process.
• Nick Pope - hero or villain?: Pages 6-7 critically examine the role and book of Nick Pope, a former MoD official. The author questions the originality of his book, 'Open Skies, Closed Minds', suggesting it rehashes known cases and shows a lack of in-depth familiarity with some complex phenomena. While acknowledging Pope's sincerity and potential to champion the UFO cause, the author expresses concern about inflated public expectations and the MoD's association with abduction cases.
• HALO and Goodbye (all the latest news on Lancashire's flying triangle mystery): Pages 8-9 focus on the recent surge in sightings of large, triangular UFOs, particularly along the Lancashire coast. The article explores the possibility that these are secret aircraft being developed by British Aerospace (BAe) under the project name HALO (High Agility, Low Observability), a claim BAe denies. It details specific sightings, including one over Kendal, and notes reports of associated electrical disturbances.
• Reviews: Pages 10-12 feature reviews of several UFO-related books and magazines, including 'UFO - a deadly concealment', 'The Paranormal & The ghost of flight 401', and 'New Welsh Wonders'.
• Cases from Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Scotland, Wales & West Midlands: Pages 13-15 present a collection of UFO case reports from various UK regions, including 'umbilical cord UFOs', an anniversary triangle, and a UFO crash over Wigan.
• Have you heard the Voice? plus autumn events: This final section, on page 16, likely covers audio phenomena or communication-related UFO experiences and lists upcoming autumn events.

Key Incidents and Cases

The issue highlights several significant UFO incidents:

• Llandrillo Case (January 1974): This case is extensively discussed, involving strange lights, an explosion, and an unusual RAF search. The author presents two main theories: a genuine UFO crash and retrieval, or a cover-up for a nuclear accident.
• Lancashire Triangle Sightings: Numerous sightings of large, black triangular objects are reported along the Lancashire coast, with speculation linking them to secret aircraft projects like HALO.
• Kendal Sighting (29 August 1996): A black triangle was observed performing aerobatics over Kendal, accompanied by unusual atmospheric conditions and electronic interference.
• Rossall Sighting (17 September 1996): An object described as a silver triangle was seen spiralling down from the sky, hovering, and then shooting off towards Morecambe Bay.

Reviews and Publications

The magazine includes reviews of various UFO publications, such as:

• 'Sightings' magazine: Praised for its quality and in-depth articles.
• 'UFO Times', 'Magonia', 'Strange Daze', 'OVNI', 'EMUFORA', 'Pegasus', 'IUFOPRA Journal': These are briefly reviewed, with comments on their content and focus.
• 'The Circular' and 'The Crop Watcher': These magazines are recommended for their coverage of crop circle phenomena.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

A recurring theme throughout the issue is the skepticism towards sensationalized UFO claims, particularly those involving alien bodies and crash retrievals, which the editor, Jenny Randles, believes may be part of a disinformation strategy. There is a strong emphasis on critical investigation and a distrust of official explanations, especially from the MoD. The magazine also highlights the growing phenomenon of 'flying triangle' sightings and explores potential links to secret military aircraft. The editorial stance appears to favor rigorous investigation and a cautious approach to extraordinary claims, while acknowledging the public's fascination with the UFO subject. The issue also touches upon the importance of historical UFO research and the challenges of obtaining accurate information from official sources.

Title: Northern UFO News
Issue: 11
Volume: 11
Date: January 1997 (estimated from issue number and content)
Publisher: Northern UFO News
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of Northern UFO News delves into various aspects of UFOlogy and paranormal phenomena, featuring book reviews, detailed case reports from across the UK, and discussions on emerging mysteries.

Books of the Moment

UFO - A deadly concealment by Derek Sheffield

The review of Derek Sheffield's book "UFO - A deadly concealment" highlights its focus on the Belgian UFO wave of 1989-1990. The reviewer notes that while the book ostensibly covers sightings, it is largely comprised of Sheffield's extensive correspondence with politicians and military officials, including attempts to convince them of the significance of the cases. The reviewer questions the extent of Sheffield's first-hand research in Belgium and criticizes the book's structure, which is swamped by letters, making it tedious. Despite this, the reviewer acknowledges Sheffield's tenacity and the interest in an outsider's perspective on a famous case. The reviewer also offers alternative theories for some Belgian sightings, such as mid-air refuelling exercises or laser light shows, and suggests that some of the book's content is useful, but much is not.

The Paranormal Anthony North by Tony North

This review discusses Tony North's first book, "The Paranormal," which is a collection of essays on diverse paranormal topics, including brain and consciousness, hypnosis, ESP, and timeslips. The reviewer notes that the book contains little about UFOs specifically but offers a good introduction to the field of the mind and abnormal phenomena. It is described as a refreshing departure from agenda-driven books, presenting one person's thoughts on various topics. The book is recommended for those interested in the subject, with a suggestion to wait for a potential softback version due to its price.

Mysteries of the Universe reissues

The magazine highlights a series of reissues from Souvenir Press under the title 'Mysteries of the Universe,' featuring works from authors like Erich von Däniken and Charles Berlitz. John Fuller's books are particularly praised, with "The Betty and Barney Hill abduction" and "The ghost of flight 401" being singled out as excellent UFO and ghost investigation accounts, respectively. These are recommended for newcomers at £6.99.

New Welsh Wonders

Investigated by Margaret Fry, this section details several UFO sightings in Wales:

• November 1985, Taff Well, Cardiff: Six lights in two triangles were seen flying side-by-side, moving silently over rooftops with a brownish pink glow.
• January 3, 1995, Cwbran, Gwent: A 14-year-old described a light chasing stars, later seen lower down and moving faster than a jet.
• January 6, 1995, Borth, Dyfed: A man and his son observed five lights travelling like a rocket.
• January 18, 1995, Aberporth, Dyfed: An 11-year-old boy reported two UFOs that shot across the sky, returned, and moved from place to place, one described as huge and zooming.
• Late January 1995, Rhos, Wrexham: A man and his girlfriend spotted a football-shaped object hovering over an area known as Flood.

Margaret Fry also reports a case from the summer of 1969 near Chippenham and Bristol, involving two silvery triangles joined by a short, hazy tube.

Brief Cases

This section presents a series of brief UFO reports from various locations:

• January 12, 1962, Sutton Coldfield: A disc-like object, reddish/grey, was seen hovering, spinning, moving fast, and then shooting high into the sky.
• December 7, 1995, Airdrie, Scotland: A brightly coloured object hovering over fields, surrounded by flashing lights, moved away very fast and vanished. This case was investigated by David Stephenson and the group Primus and is considered unexplained.
• February 24, 1979, Southport, Merseyside: A hovering triangle, similar to a phenomenon reported in the north-west, was seen over a quarry. A military jet was reportedly involved in a chase. The witnesses, Mr and Mrs C and their son, described a loud noise, vibration, and a large triangular object with corner lights and a central glow.
• July 25, 1996, Stenhousemuir, Scotland: A brightly coloured object hovering over nearby fields, surrounded by flashing lights, moved away very fast and vanished.
• August 2, 1996, Raglan, Wales: A motorist observed a strange, black object with flat ragged edges, similar in size to a small car, hanging in the dusk sky.
• August 11, 1996, Farr, Scotland: Villagers spotted a stationary object with a dim orange light at the rear and a wedge shape, which later appeared to have poles extending from its sides.
• August 14, 1996, Largs, Scotland: A woman awoke to a loud humming sound and a glowing silhouetted island. This was later identified as the P&O cruise ship the Royal Princess.
• August 16, 1996, Hindley Green, Wigan: Three fire engines and a police helicopter responded to a report of an object, possibly an aircraft, crashing in flames. The object was described as a small plane with smoke trailing. The search found nothing, and the object was logged as a UFO. Possible explanations include a hot air balloon, a meteor sighting, or a homemade hot air balloon.
• September 14, 1996, Macclesfield, Cheshire: A retired airline worker observed a grey triangular object with brilliant corner lights hovering stationary for 34 minutes before disappearing.

Phenomenal Venture

Group SERM has launched a new magazine called "Phenomenal News," edited by Viv Alexander and Ron Halliday, which covers a wide range of strange events, focusing on happenings north of the border.

The Summer issue: Spontaneous Human Invisibility

This section discusses a report on spontaneous human invisibility, a phenomenon that has reportedly been occurring since 1994, primarily in the USA. The article describes cases where individuals seem to disappear from the perspective of those with them. The magazine seeks news about such cases to chart this new mystery.

Have you heard the Voice?

UFOlogy is abuzz with talk of "The Voice," an irregular mail out from Barry King, known for his investigations in the 1970s. King claims to be a mouthpiece for an intelligence community "source" aiming to reveal truths about undercover activities. The mail outs include claims about the NSA, silencers, underground tunnels, and warnings about "big black triangles." While Barry King is described as rational and sensible, some are disconcerted by warnings of surveillance due to UFO interest, raising questions about caution versus paranoia.

Autumn Events

Two events are highlighted:

• November 16/17: A two-day international event organised by LAPIS in Lytham, featuring speakers like Nick Pope, Derrel Sims, Philip Mantle, Jenny Randles, and others. The cost is £12 per day or £20 for both.
• December 15: A one-day UFO extravaganza organised by Extreme Events in Bristol, featuring Nick Pope, Colin Andrews, Peter Hough, and Jenny Randles, covering topics like abductions, UFO theories, and crop circles.

Local Groups

A directory of local UFO groups across Scotland, North East, North West, North Midlands, South Midlands, and Wales is provided, along with contact details.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of Northern UFO News maintains its focus on documenting and investigating UFO sightings and paranormal phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, encouraging readers to report their experiences while also promoting critical analysis and the consideration of mundane explanations for reported events. The magazine emphasizes the importance of thorough investigation, as demonstrated by the resolution of the Largs case. There is a recurring theme of questioning official denials and exploring possibilities beyond conventional explanations, while also cautioning against excessive paranoia. The inclusion of book reviews and event listings suggests an effort to engage with the broader UFO and paranormal community.