NORTHERN UFO NEWS

Magazine Overview

Title: NORTHERN UFO NEWS
Issue: 69
Date: February 1980
Publisher: Northern UFO Network (NUFON)
Editor: Jenny Randles

This is an emergency issue of the Northern UFO News, published by the Northern UFO Network (NUFON). The publication is monthly and is published eight times per year in series with "Northern Ufology". The reduction in size and absence of regular features are attributed to the editor's domestic arrangements, including a move from Irlam. The editor is temporarily staying elsewhere, with the NUFON duplicator in storage. The March issue is expected to return to normal.

Editorial

The editorial apologizes for the reduced size and lack of regular features, explaining that the editor's move from Irlam was delayed, and they are temporarily staying with their fiance. The NUFON duplicator is in storage, necessitating this photocopied emergency issue. The editor assures readers that the March issue will be back to normal, but asks for understanding if there are further delays in delivery or replies to letters.

News Round-Up

• New Group: Details are provided for SKYSCOPE, the Wyre Forest Aerial Phenomena Investigation Organisation, based in Kidderminster. Its organiser, Peter Hogben, is a UFOIN member and associated with UFOSIS. His wife, Crystal, edits the children's magazine MAGIC SAUCER. The area covered includes Hereford & Worcester, Gloucester, and Mid Wales & Shropshire.
• Photocopier Initiative: The NUFON HQ lacks a photocopier. NUFOIS has the opportunity to acquire one for £550, which would significantly reduce copying costs for reports like the 119-page Llanerchymedd CE3 report. The proposal is to split the cost among NUFON groups, UFOIN members, and FSR, with each group needing to donate at least £10. Suggestions for fundraising are encouraged.
• New Book: The editor announces a new book titled "UFO STUDY: A Handbook for enthusiasts", to be published by Robert Hale in Autumn. It aims to provide a practical approach to all aspects of ufology, with a cover price of approximately £5.
• April Theme: The theme for the April Northern Ufology is "UFOs and psychic phenomena - is there a link?" Readers are invited to submit articles.

Investigations

This section details several UFO/UAP sightings and investigations:

• 78-256 (Morecambe, Lancs): A middle-aged waterboard official, his wife, and daughter reported a stationary yellow-white light (LITS) over the bay. It was observed for 3 minutes in a clear sky with a magnitude of 12 (very bright), and the witness had RAF experience.
• 79-105 (Waterfoot, Lancs): Two teenage boys in a car observed large white LITS hovering over the road. The object shot away into mist when car headlights were shone towards it, being visible for only a few seconds.
• 79-107 (Huyton, Msyside): A man and his mother in a car observed three white LITS in a line. The objects hovered, then moved towards them with one light brightening considerably. They drove past the object, which was observed for 4 minutes.
• 7473 (Thurlstone, Yks): A man, his wife, and teenage son observed a silver sphere with no protrusions flying at aircraft-like speed in a straight line from North to South. It was visible for 1 minute on a clear day with no noise. The sighting occurred during a refreshment stop en route to Daventry.
• 78-257 (Sinton, Worcs): A local authority employee observed a silver/grey cone followed by a trail moving North to South for 6-7 minutes. It changed course to South-East and made no sound. The witness concluded it was not an aircraft.
• 78-258 (Kidderminster, Worcs): Three men heard a noise like a Catherine wheel and saw a white ball moving away very fast in the distance.
• 78-259 (Kidderminster, Worcs): A man observed white LITS in the South moving very fast towards him. The objects stopped instantly, resolving into a disc shape, and then shot off East. The sighting lasted only 10 seconds.
• 79-106 (Liverpool, Msyside): A man and his neighbours observed a silver cone through a telescope over the Mersey estuary, moving South-East like an aircraft. It doubled back on its path and was observed for 2 hours before speeding off.
• 79-109 (Macclesfield, Cheshire): A man saw a silver cigar-shaped object reflecting the sun, moving at aircraft speed on a West-East course. It made no sound and was lost in the clouds. The witness suggested it might have been an aircraft on an overfly route.

Statistics in this issue: Cases: 12 (Unknown: 3 (25%), Insuff data: 6, Aircraft: 2, Ball lightning: 1).

Another Aircraft Encounter

• Date: December 11, 1979
• Location: Bolton, Gt M/Cr
• Investigated by: Ron Sargeant of MUFORA

This case involved pilot Leslie Groves, aged 21, who was teaching a pupil in a Cessna F 150 aircraft. While flying SW of Bolton at 4500 feet, Groves spotted a tiny UFO pacing his aircraft. The object was described as a ping pong ball, white in colour, reflecting light, with a brightness of 6 out of 10. Its size was estimated to be between a pea and a half pence. The object was seen in a gap in the clouds and passed below or through clouds. After 10 seconds, it cut off suddenly. A few minutes later, Groves spotted two similar objects moving on an opposite course SE to NW, observed for 10 seconds. He estimated the objects' height at 1500 feet, size at about 35 feet, and speed at 250 MPH. Ron Sargeant, an experienced aircraft engineer, was convinced the witness was not mistaken.

The Case of the One That Got Amy

• Date: October 22, 1979
• Location: Kirkby, Merseyside
• Investigated by: Brian Fishwick & Andy Kelly; MIGAP

Mr W Richards, his wife, and teenage daughter were watching TV when their dog barked. Upon investigation, they saw a strange object immediately. It was described as a blue dome with a white light emitting from its lower surface, rotating clockwise. It was seen at an elevation of 70 degrees and an estimated height of 400 feet. The object started to move off, but stopped as a second, similar object joined it. They then moved away South. Mr Richards took one photograph with a Kodak EK 100 camera. The image of the clear object mysteriously erased itself within an hour. Liverpool airport confirmed no air traffic in the area at that time.

Another Case of Psychic Overlap

• Investigated by: Stephen Banks of Parasearch

This case focuses on Jane Booth, a 19-year-old art student, who has had numerous psychic experiences since childhood, including apparitions, poltergeist phenomena, and automatic writing. Her UFO experiences began with a series of lights, followed by a more significant event where a yellowy-white beam of light materialized outside her bedroom window. Shortly after, she saw a white disc of light moving away. Her father, initially skeptical, later witnessed a similar blue beam of light strike a nearby embankment. The connection between these events is considered intriguing, suggesting a link between psychic phenomena and UFO sightings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the reporting and investigation of UFO/UAP sightings, with a focus on detailed case studies and witness accounts. There is also a significant exploration of the potential link between UFO phenomena and psychic experiences, as highlighted in the "Another Case of Psychic Overlap" article and the upcoming April theme. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these phenomena, encouraging reader participation and the sharing of information through the NUFON network. The publication also aims to provide resources for enthusiasts, such as the upcoming "UFO STUDY" book and the initiative to acquire a photocopier for wider report dissemination.