Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena Report:
30 January 1978: Oval craft Seen at Basingstoke,
Hampshire, UK
In issue 4 of Sigap News it was reported that two boys at Basingstoke had heard a whirring noise and had seen a UFO on 30 January.
A case summary by Omar Fowler follows:
On Monday 30 January 1978, at approximately 20.00 hours, two boys, one 13 and the other 14, were playing on their skateboards on a quiet road in the Brighton Hill Estate area of Basingstoke, Hants.
A few street lamps lit the scene and there were few people about; the boys were playing with two others when they all happened to notice a bright light in the sky moving in their direction.
One of the other boys commented that it was most likely an aeroplane, and at that stage, the other boys moved off leaving the two by themselves.
The light had by now moved closer, and the two could begin to make out a round shape in the middle of the glowing orangey-yellow light.
As it approached, the whole glowing light seemed to be spinning; it continued to come closer and began to hover.
Only a series of lights around the center of the body continued to rotate. The boys gave the following details:
The object approached to about 100 feet from the ground. It was oval in shape 4 It had a row of yellow lights rotating around the center (subsequently estimated at 80 revolutions per minute).
As the lights spun, a small green light could be seen at each revolution. The yellow lights were clear in outline on the leading section, but were blurred on the trailing part of the light, that is, half round in front and blurred at the back.
The green light could be seen in the line of yellow light appearing regularly.
Other lights could also be seen, and a red dome was situated on top of the body.
Behind that, a red light seemed to be suspended just above the body, as though on some kind aerial, although no details of aerials could be seen.
A white light was positioned on the forward part of the body, and a rhythmic droning noise, like that of bee was heard.
The object was seen to reverse a little, then came forward again and continued to hover.
Tony and David described the object as being the length of a house roof. By this time they were scared and began to run for home. One of the boys dropped his skateboard, but quickly retrieved it and ran on.
After a short time, they stopped and glanced back but the object had gone. They ran home, scared and shaken, to tell their parents.
(Omar Fowler)
