Birmingham UFO Group Case Report
Author: Dave Hodrien
Release Date: 12/01/2008
For reasons of anoymity pseudonyms have been used
In late 2007 BUFOG received an E-Mail from a lady named Paula who wanted to report a sighting she had earlier in the year. She informed us that she had been trying to tell people about my sighting ever since it happened and unfortunately she had only found one person so far who has belived her. She said that people either think she is lying or nuts, and clarified that she was neither. She informed us that she is an open minded person and that she had previously investigated her sighting from every possible angle before commiting herself to reporting it. Paula confirmed she is used to taking a sensible approach to these things because she is a researcher in paranormal investigations. She also mentioned that she thought she had another sighting of the same object a few weeks ago.
Sighting Details
Whilst out shopping on 24th January 2007, Paula something very odd in the sky to the South/South East. It was about 11:30/11:45am and she was leaving the Fort Retail Park near the Jaguar plant at Castle Vale, Birmingham.
The sky was very clear and atmospherics allowed for excellent visability, in fact the moon was visible in the sky. The object was metallic grey, highly reflective and stationary at around 500-700 feet altitude, and she estimated its size at around 90 feet long by approximately 20 feet high, rounded at either end with two potruding bands about a quater of the way from each end. She believed the object was not an aircraft or an helicopter as it was perfectly still and there was no vapour trail.
There were aircraft in the sky at a higher altitude which were leaving a vapour trail and also a light aircraft which seemed to be heading toward it. At this point the object seemed to wink out. Around a mile further on Paula again caught sight of the object in a slightly different position in the sky. She then lost sight of the thing all together due to the direction in which I was travelling.
She felt certain the object was not a weather balloon or airship because it was stationary and on that day there was quite a strong wind blowing. She was able to observe the object properly because although she was in a moving car she was not the driver. Paula mentioned that as she has lived in the area for many years she is familiar with the various flight paths to and from Birmingham International airport. I is also perfectly aware of what commercial aircraft look like and familiar with their habits on approach and take off, so she's not likely to have mistaken a commercial jet for the object she saw.
Copyright Dave Hodrien 2008