Northern UFO News - No 66

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 66
Date: November 1979
Publisher: Northern UFO Network (NUPON)
Type: Monthly newsletter, published eight times per year in series with "Northern Ufology".

Editorial: "A Friendly Ultimatum"

The editorial, penned by Jenny Randles, the NUFON Secretary, announces her intention to resign from the position as of November 24th. She reflects on her involvement in establishing the network in 1974, citing a lack of cohesion in British ufology as the primary motivation. While acknowledging NUFON's merits and the gap it fills, Randles expresses a preference for the more focused investigative approach of UFOIN, which she sees as a more serious endeavor compared to the social atmosphere of some organizations. She contrasts this with the 'big fish in a small pond' mentality she perceives in some local UFO groups, likening it to organizing classical artists with a chimpanzee. Randles explains that her continued involvement in NUFON, despite its limitations, was based on the belief that some liaison is better than none, and that its data collation function, though of poor quality, is still valuable. She notes that the most active individuals within NUFON are also involved in UFOIN. Randles details the personal consequences she has faced as NUFON Secretary since January 1975, including accusations of egotism, looking down on smaller groups, speaking inappropriately, and lying. She emphasizes that her sole motive has always been to help ufology progress and that these personal attacks are difficult, especially when her personal life is affected. She concludes that when her position restricts her from doing 'real ufology,' the limit has been reached. Randles stresses that she is still concerned about NUFON and will present suggestions at the upcoming meeting, and she is happy to continue editing NORTHERN UFO NEWS. Her primary desire is for NUFON not to be perceived as a dictatorship.

Important NUFON Meeting

A significant NUFON meeting was scheduled for Saturday, November 24th, from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM at the HQ of NUFOIS in Nottingham. The meeting was expected to be attended by representatives from various groups. The agenda included approximately 20-minute presentations on general themes, data and equipment sharing, investigation reporting standards, and proposals for NUFON liaison and research teams. Specific speakers and their topics included:

• David Sydeserff (UFOIN Scotland): A British Group Network system.
• Jenny Randles (MUFORA, Manchester): Proposals for NUFON Liaison and a research team.
• Martin Keatman (UFOR Stafford): Group system inadequacies and the need for training.
• Peter Hogben (UFOSIS, Birmingham): Data and equipment sharing, and the new MAUFOG network.
• Bob Morrell (NUFOIS, Nottingham): Poor standards of investigation reporting.
• Kevin McClure (UAPROL, Leicester): Proposals from the Society for Psychic Research.
• Stephen Banks (Analytical Chemist from Parasearch): A talk on "The Hingley Contact Case" (a CE3/4 with entities, physical traces, and contact).

Attendees were encouraged to take notes and participate in debates on proposals arising from the presentations. The meeting also offered an opportunity to see the HQ and files.

News Round-Up

This section provides updates on various UFO groups and activities:

• New Network: Peter Hogben is reporting on developments in a new network, which is not intended to be a competitor to NUFON.
• NUFOIS Changes: John Cree has resigned as Secretary of NUFOIS, with Les Hall taking over. NUFOIS is collaborating with Radio Trent to input sighting data into a computer for correlation analysis and has redecorated its HQ.
• PARASEARCH: A new group in the Midlands, PARASEARCH, has formed and covers most of the old UFORA team, investigating paranormal phenomena.
• Book Project: Nigel Watson and Granville Oldroyd are working on a booklet detailing research into the 1909 and 1913 UK Airship waves.
• Research Ideas: Geoffrey Grundill is seeking ideas from anyone interested in research, particularly concerning UFO abductions and CE3Bs, suggesting they might be dreams or astral travels.
• New Book: "The Encyclopedia of UFOs" by Ronald Story, a 550-page A-Z of ufologists and cases, is due to be published by NEL in June 1980.
• Subscriptions: Readers are reminded that NUFON 1980 subscriptions are due at £3.60.

Magazine Reviews

Several UFO publications are reviewed:

• FSR Vol 25 No 3: Features the Gaynor Sunderland CE3 case and Psygenics/poltergeist phenomena.
• STRANGE PHENOMENA No 2: Includes an article on 'Aliens' and UFO/Psychic overlap.
• MUFOB Summer 79: Contains a UFOIN case from the NE, a review of Jacques Vallee's "Messengers of Deception," and an article by Allen Greenfield.
• JOURNAL OF TRANSIENT AERIAL PHENOMENA: The first issue from BUFORA, featuring research articles and conference talks.
• MAGIC UFO Aug/Sep 1979: Highly recommended for young ufologists.
• NORTHERN EARTH MYSTERIES NEWSLETTER: A new magazine focusing on leylines and earth mysteries.
• UFO INSIGHT Oct 79: Features an article by John Rimmer.
• CUFORO and UAPROL: Have published newsletters with recent case reports.
• SCAN: A new issue with strange encounters.
• PEGASUS (Sept 79): Features Allen Hynek and his London Conference speech.
• LANTERNS Autumn 79: Contains news on leylines in East Anglia.

An Old Report

An older report, discovered by Nigel Watson and dated February 28, 1913, details an airship sighting from around 1903. The witness and a friend saw a point of light swing across a valley for 30 minutes, covering significant distances. Speculation at the time suggested it might be an effect of shifting mist, though the witness doubted it.

Low Definition Activity

This section lists several Low Definition Activity (LDA) reports:

• 77-321 (Nov 25): Blackpool, Lancs - Red pulsating light seen crossing the sky.
• 78-242 (Apr 23): Blackpool, Lancs - Steady white light seen crossing the sky.
• 78-244 (Sep 2): Quarry Bank, W.Mid - White LITS stationary for 1.5 hours, changing color, slight wavering.
• 78-245 (Dec 26): Whiston, Msyside - Glow of light changing color, above clouds.
• 78-246 (Dec ??): Blackburn, Lancs - White LITS seen crossing town on a steady flight.

Honest Officer, we did see a UFO!

This report details an unusual LITS (Light) observation from August 7, 1979, near Burscough, Lancashire. Angela and Gary reported seeing a bright star-like object that changed location, brightened, and moved directly ahead. It later returned to its former size and was seen again. The object was described as having an apparent size of a 3-inch plate at arm's length and emitted a faint sound. The couple was terrified and fled. A coach passed by, and the light receded. The object reappeared later and followed them. A traffic patrol officer was informed but did not witness the event. The object vanished before police could investigate further.

Skywatch Sighting of Unusual LITS

This report from September 15-16, 1979, by MIGAP members in Rawtenstall and Heptonstall describes observations of multiple red and blue lights (LITS) that appeared like bright stars and moved in jerky motions. The initial conclusion from a MUFORA evaluation meeting suggested the phenomena were likely an effect of stars and a temperature inversion layer over the hills. The report notes that most previous reports in the area were attributable to a Swissair DC-9 cargo plane.

Medium Definition Activity

This section provides detailed reports of Medium Definition Activity (MDA) sightings:

• 6508 (Nov ??): Prescot, Msyside - Chinese lantern-like object stationary, rocking, glowing like a hot coal.
• 6724 (Aug ??): Congleton, Cheshire - Fuzzy green oval object beaming down, stationary, then accelerating away.
• 7132 (Jun 23): Runcorn, Cheshire - Pale egg-shaped object with lights on its rim, moving on a steady course.
• 7231 (Summer): Poulton, Lancs - Huge object with turrets and windows, pink/red, stationary, then vanished.
• 77-320 (Sep 14): Longridge, W.Mid - Triangular object with shiny top drifting sideways, vanishing twice.
• 7973 (Mid Feb): Halesowen, W.Mid - Bright white oval performing zig-zags.
• 7974 (Jun 18): Markfield, Leics - Black cigar-like rocket with fins, trailing orange/red tail, descending into a quarry.
• 7976 (Jul 3): Preston, Lancashire - Silver rugby ball-shaped object seen at distance, climbing in widening circles and shooting away.
• 7978 (Aug 28): Rainhill, Msyside - Silver cone-shaped object drifting slowly.
• 7979 (Sep 9): Blurton, Staffs - Object described as 'kite,' 'manta-ray,' or 'domed disc,' dark underside, shiny top, wobbling.
• 7982 (Sep 27): Irlam, Gt Manchester - White searchlight dimming to a dark oval, moving in zig-zags, with flashing navigation lights, evaluated as a helicopter.
• 7983 (Oct 12): Galgate, Lancs - Red sphere, half the size of the full moon, moving NNE, very bright.

Repeater Phenomena in Staffordshire Village

This case involves a family in Great Haywood, Staffs, with multiple reported sightings. A significant event in January 1979 involved a huge, brilliant white glow behind a church, which faded to two white lights rising and moving away rapidly. Three teenage boys independently reported seeing a similar large white disc hovering and discharging a glow before moving away. The correlation between these accounts is noted as intriguing, though no precise date is available for either sighting.

Firey Balloon Over Yorkshire

On July 3, 1979, in Goldthorpe, Sth Yorkshire, a retired miner reported seeing a saucer-shaped object glowing bright red, drifting east. It stopped over a club, hovered, and revealed a rim and five square windows before moving away. The object was in view for three minutes, and two other elderly witnesses also saw it.

Another UFO Plus Lightbeams

On September 10, 1979, in Widnes, Cheshire, a 19-year-old woman and her friend reported hearing a whirring noise and seeing a silvery plate with a red light spinning. The object hovered, then emitted two distinctive lightbeams that fanned out and reached the ground, appearing to search the area. The object then moved away. The incident was witnessed again later that night by the friend's daughter. Liverpool ATC reported being very busy with diverted aircraft that night but had no explanation for the sighting.

Strange Effects Down on the Farm

This report from April 25, 1978, in Dunlop, Ayrshire, Scotland, describes Willie McNair and his son encountering a bright red glow in a lane. They then saw a rugby ball-shaped object in a field, stationary and emitting light. After it blinked out, their dogs exhibited uncharacteristic fear. No trace of anything strange was found the next morning. People in a nearby village had also seen a red light in the sky the previous night. The report speculates on the possibility of ball lightning.

Luminous Entities Seen at Stone

This case from September 1971, in Oulton, Stone, Staffs, involves a sighting of two luminous, human-like figures in diving suits in a field. One figure was stationary, while the other moved in long strides. The figures were glowing, one more brightly than the other. They were seen instantly by two independent witnesses, Mrs. Wood and her two sons. The figures disappeared after a few minutes. No traces were found in the field. The report notes that the village had previously been the scene of an unconnected CE case involving a disembodied voice and a solid tube of light. The figures were seen instantly by two independent witnesses as the same thing. It is most unlikely mist would take on such a characteristic luminous shape. The witnesses claim no paranormal experiences and do not themselves connect this with UFOs. They are just puzzled.

Late News

Paul Larkin of MIGAP is reforming the North Cheshire society NAPRA, which was one of the five original founder groups of NUFON in 1974. Only MUFORA and MAPIT remain in existence from the original groups.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include detailed case reports of UFO sightings categorized by definition (Low and Medium), network coordination and group activities, and the ongoing debate about the nature and methodology of UFO investigation. The editorial stance, as expressed by Jenny Randles, highlights a tension between the social aspects of UFO groups and the need for serious, data-driven investigation. There is a clear advocacy for more rigorous research, exemplified by UFOIN, while still acknowledging the importance of broader networks like NUFON. The issue also touches upon historical sightings and the potential for misidentification or natural phenomena, while emphasizing the unexplained nature of many reported events.