Stratford's UFO sightings

[Will]

I was there when these things flew near the Hole in the Wall. They were quite obviously miniature hot air balloons with candles. Even without my glasses it was obvious, as you could see them flickering, and moving as you'd expect them to.

I can't believe this made headline news on the Stratford Herald, is this really the most important thing they had to report?

I meant to make that rant a week ago, better late than never!

[IsaacKoi]

Hi Will (and any other readers that saw the "UFOs" over Stratford),

I am a barrister in England with an interest in various issues relating to reports of UFOs (including UFO reports caused by fire balloons / chinese lanterns). I recently circulated a 1,800 page chronology of UFO events as a free download on the Internet. If you happen to want to know more, feel free to ask me or see UFO Inquiry (http://ufoinquiry.blogspot.com/) .

With some hesitation, since you are probably fed up with dealing with enquiries about the matter, I wonder if I could ask a couple of questions of you (and any other witnesses that happen to read this forum) about the recent sighting of various “UFOs” over Stratford (on, according to most reports, Saturday 14th July 2007).

Feel free to email me with any comments if you'd prefer. My email address is isaackoi@gmail.com .

Following the press reports (particularly after the story spread from the local paper to the Daily Mail), the sighting has been the subject of some debate on several UFO discussion forums on the Internet. I am keen to nail down some of the details so that a definitive explanation can be given.

I've a few specific questions. Of course, I’d welcome any additional facts or thoughts that you have about the sightings and the reaction to them (including the accuracy of relevant media reports etc).

(1) Firstly, a rather basic point. Can you please confirm the date and time of your sighting? Most reports suggest the sightings occurred at about 10.30pm on a recent Saturday, but few reports say which Saturday. I note that the webpages below indicate a date of 21 July 2007, but some of the press reports of the sightings appear to date from about 19 July 2007 and I therefore presume the sightings in fact occurred on Saturday 14 July 2007:

YouTube - Cluster of UFOs seen above Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK (July 21) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MJl-YTuYo8)
UFOs pay the Bard's hometown a visit - Yahoo! India News (http://in.news.yahoo.com/070725/139/6ilcp.html)

(2) Secondly, your location at the time of the sighting (either as an approximate address or, ideally, as a postcode) and the direction in which the “UFOs” were seen relative to that location. Did the "UFOs" all appear to come from the same direction? Which direction was that (either in terms of compass direction or simply relative to local landmarks, e.g. Clopton Tower – which I can look up on a map)? What direction did they move in? How did the sighting end?

(3) Thirdly, do you (and any others that you have discussed the sighting with) now generally accept the explanation published in this week’s Stratford Herald (and if not, why not)? For ease of reference, I’ll include some of the text of the relevant article below:
“UFOs were illuminated wedding party balloons.”
"Report by Phillipa Prankard”

”The mystery of the multi-sighting of unidentified flying objects witnessed by 100 people in Stratford town centre has been solved."

"Following speculation that the five bright objects which appeared in formation over the Warwick Road area at 10pm could be linked to extra terrestrial activity, a Heathcote couple has come forward to give a far more earthly explanation for the sighting.”

"Viv and Jim James from Tamora Close, Heathcote, told the Herald that the UFOs had actually been 'sky lanterns' let off by guests at their daughter's wedding.

"The bemused couple said they were delighted to read that their daughter's wedding had caused so much excitement.”

”'I can reassure, but perhaps disappoint your readers and Hilary Potter of the British Earth Aerial Mystery Society, that these UfOs were in fact sky lanterns. These are mini air balloons which we set off from Ingon Manor golf club around 10pm last saturday evening lasting about 15 to 20 minutes until the wick burnt out.'

"They added: 'This event caused great excitement to our guests and also it seems to others in the Stratford area. We hope they enjoyed the display.
Coincidentally just before setting ours off we noticed a few similar lanterns being set off two or three miles away'."

<snip>

”A man out fishing near to Stratford racecourse told the Herald he saw the five balls of light go up into the sky and immediately identified them as Chinese Lanterns."

"Lewis Baldwin said: 'There was a whole fireworks display going on. The five balls were just part of it. I saw them go up and remain in the sky. I had heard about these Chinese Lanterns and knew that was what I was looking at.'”


(4) Finally, any other information or comments you want to mention.


All the best,

Isaac Koi

[Will]

Saturday the 14th sounds about right, it would have been the weekend after I got back from India. We were leaving the Hole in the Wall' bar, which was quite a lot closer to the balloons then the 'One Elm' which is where the video was made. 10:30 sounds about right as we were Leaving to go another bar.

I definitely agree the paper's conclusion that they weren't UFO's as they were quite obviously balloons (Chinese lanterns), and moved in a manner consistant with balloons.

My own thoughts are that it's highly likely there's life out there somewhere, but the chances of intelligent life visiting our insignificant planet in our insignificant solar system, are highly unlikely.

[optrex]

Just to slightly change the location. I remember seeing a light tail an aircraft on approach to runway 33 at Birmingham Airport during the mid to late 80's. It followed very closely (I watched it because I thought there would be a collision) before the light took off vertically at a very high speed.

There were several sightings and it was reported on the local news and to police. However I can't find anything on the net about it. If anyone can point me in the direction of the story I would be very interested.

[IsaacKoi]

We were leaving the Hole in the Wall' bar, which was quite a lot closer to the balloons then the 'One Elm' which is where the video was made. 10:30 sounds about right as we were Leaving to go another bar.


Thanks Will.

For the benefit of anyone else reading this thread that is interested in plotting the location of the various sightings, the "Hole in the Wall" bar is at 38, Guild St, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6QY. The postcode can be used on websites such as streetmap.co.uk to find this location relative to other witnesses (and sites at which sky lanterns were launched on that day).

At least 3 sets of chinese lanterns were set off that Saturday, from different locations by different people that have come forward as a result of the press reports of the "UFOs". At least two different wedding parties are convinced that their lanterns caused the sightings!

If you could give an indication of the directions from which the lanterns appeared to come and/or the direction they were moving [either in terms of compass directions or relative to local landmarks that I can find on a map] then it would more or less confirm which of the true source. From your previous comments, and those of other witnesses, I'm already fairly sure which one it was.

All the best,

Isaac