Birmingham UFO Group Case Report
Author: George Gregg
Release Date: 08/07/2014
Last Updated: 24/06/2020
For reasons of anonymity pseudonyms have been used
There were two sightings witnessed by two people, Ann and Frank. The first sighting occured around Enville, which is a small village in Staffordshire on the A458 between Stourbridge and Bridgenorth. The second sighting occured at a lay-by on the A458 between the two villages, Four Ashes and Six Ashes further on towards Bridgenorth. There was a 10-15 minute time difference between the sightings.
Sighting One: Enville Cricket & Football Club, 7.30-7.40pm
Two witnesses one male the other female were conversing at the back of the pavilion / clubhouse of Enville Cricket & Football Club, Enville, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY7 5HA
.
Map indicating the location of Enville Cricket & Football Club:
Photograph of the clubhouse:
They noticed a bright light in the field at the back of the pavilion. The field apparently is used for horses. They were perplexed by the light and debated about its nature. They considered that it may be a helicopter looking for someone lost. The light was like a bright light, like a spotlight. There was no noise. It was above the tree line.
Photograph of the pavilion:
They had no idea what it was. However the pair decided there was little to be done so they decided to leave and drive along the A458 towards Bridgenorth.
Sighting Two: Lay-by A458 to Bridgenorth, 7.45pm
About 4-5 minutes up the road, about 2-3 miles from Enville, (7.45pm) they noticed a bright light following them on the other side of the hedge. Initially they wondered if it was a comet, but it had no tail. They pulled their car in to a large lay-by (Approx WV15 6EQ), on the left, nearby a small village called Six Ashes. About half a mile further away there is an Italian restaurant on the crossroads called the Six Ashes Inn.
Map indicating the location of the lay-by near Six Ashes:
Photographs taken from the lay-by:
Both getting out of the car, they turn and are facing roughly North East. They are looking across into a field, with the road between them and the hedge. It’s a dark but clear night and they see a large orange light (no flash) approaching them over the field on their left.
The object as it came near seemed to split into three lights (or the three lights looked like one because of the distance it was away). Then it became apparent the three lights were near the corners of a black triangle (approximately equilateral). The black part of the triangle was blacker than the sky. It pulled to a halt about 150 yards away. It was completely noiseless. It was about the size of a medium sized dinner plate held at arm’s length. The craft then changed direction towards the right, but keeping its triangular base facing the witnesses.
Witness drawing of the triangular UFO with notes:
It drifted slowly across almost at walking pace and then after reaching their extreme right, roughly past the gate in the hedge, it shot off toward Wordsley and in the space of five seconds had vanished over the horizon. During this time the witnesses were aware that no traffic had passed them despite it being normally a very busy road.
Not long after they saw the UFO, a plane flew over the spot that the triangle shaped object had been hovering. However the plane was higher. It appeared to be an old plane, like a Spitfire, it seemed like it had curved wingtips and a flashing light on its tail. Neither witness was a believer in UFOs before this incident but felt like the phenomena was like something out of a movie. It seemed unreal.
Air Traffic Control E-Mail
Ann and Frank were perplexed by their sighting and the next day they wrote an email to the air traffic controller at Halfpenny Green Airport. They replied saying that “the airport had been open for flying on the 11th Feb with fixed wing aircraft flying locally and in the circuit until 8.00pm. The flashing lights, it was suggested, could have been one of their aircraft. The lights which aircraft are required to display are set in law (The Air Navigation Order). Lights in a triangular arrangement would not be normal.” The air traffic controller advised them to contact the British UFO Research Association (BUFORA).
The two witnesses found that their thoughts about the triangular UFO seemed to drift into the back of their minds until a growing compulsion to report it to someone came over them. It was this that led to them attending one of BUFOG’s meetings, where they initially informed me of the incident.
Sighting Analysis
Ann and Frank, professional people in their late thirties, appeared to me to be of average intelligence, rational and of an even temperament. The motive for making up the story is highly improbable especially as they provided documentary evidence i.e. E-mail exchange with the air traffic controller.
The triangular craft does not seem to be a kite, balloon or a Chinese lantern. The likelihood of the witnesses being the victim of a hoax is also unlikely as the experience occurred in a remote location. A hoaxer would get poor traction for a hoax in this location. Also the phenomena took place over 2-3 miles. This would be difficult to set up as a hoax.
The other possibility is that this areal phenomenon was a military vehicle or, as the witness wondered, a helicopter. I investigated the possibility of a helicopter and near Halfpenny Green Airport I found a factory that manufactures helicopters. Parked outside was a black helicopter.
Photograph of the helicopter at the factory:
However a helicopter, which may explain the initial sighting of a light above the trees in Enville, certainly does not explain the second part of the sighting. Also I’m unaware of a military aircraft that can move from walking pace to vanishing over the horizon in 5 seconds without leaving at least a sonic boom.
Conclusion: This object is both real and an unknown. However it fits with many other sightings of triangular structured craft of a similar nature. The sighting of a craft of this nature is quite common.
Copyright George Gregg 2020