Published: 10/10/2008 00:00 - Updated: 19/02/2009 09:36

White lights at night give couple a fright

by TIM FLETCHER

A COUPLE have been left baffled after seeing mysterious lights in the night skies over Burton and South Derbyshire.

Mac McCree, 59 and partner Lesley Gaunt, 55, first experienced the eerie phenomenon while at their home in Woodland Road, Stanton, on Monday shortly before 10pm.

"My missus had gone out for a cigarette while I was watching the telly," said Mr McCree.

"She said 'Mac, come and have a look at this' and at first I thought it was someone shining my torch.

"We saw two lights - it was a dullish white circular glow - one of them was sort of hovering over Winshill or Newton Solney and the other one appeared to be over Bretby or Newhall - they were scorching across the sky.

"I thought at first it had to be something going on at Donington, but the speed of them was unbelievable. We've watched planes going into East Midlands Airport at 200mph but that's nothing compared to the speeds these we're going at.

"Me and my missus thought we were seeing things - I thought 'I don't believe this is happening'.

The phenomenon re-appeared on Tuesday night at around the same time, prompting a call to Burton police, who told him the lights originated from the town's Statutes Fair. However, Mr McCree is sceptical.

"I don't see how the lights could have come from the Statutes - for one thing they were at the other side of town from there," he said.

"Also, if it had been some kind of laser or searchlight you would have seen the beams going up and there was none.

"People might think I'm making it up but I'm not that kind of person. I went and asked my next door neighbour to come and look at it to make sure we weren't dreaming."

Neither Staffordshire Police nor Derbyshire Police had any record of further reports of the strange lights, while the Met Office was equally in the dark when contacted by The Mail.

Have you seen strange lights in the sky or can you explain this phenomenon? Contact us by emailing tim.fletcher@burtonmail.co. uk or telephoning 01283 524859.