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7.30 PM. Cardiff.

An 'airship' displaying a bright light was seen hanging over the west of the city. Large crowds soon gathered in the streets. Inside the Western Mail offices, one or two members of the editorial staff went up to the roof for a view of the object. Towards the west hung a bright light amidst the stars, but some cynics decided it was just Venus, and so they descended again. But many in the streets were still watching.

A few minutes later, the Swansea office of the Western Mail telephoned to say that the same occurrence was taking place there, with many out, watching a light. So could this indeed have just been the planet Venus?

However at Taffs Well a powerful light was seen in the sky which brought everyone outside to see it. It was described as being bright enough to illuminate the whole area before it disappeared in the direction of Llantrisant. The light did not travel across the sky but receded into the darkness.

Witnesses in the Llantrisant area reported that a headlight and searchlights were clearly visible. The object seemed to approach from the direction of Cardiff (east of them - so could not have been Venus).

At Llanharry the object is said to have hovered over and around the same spot for about ten minutes. It made descents and ascents, and once came so close to the ground that a number of people declared that they clearly discerned the wings of the machine. It then proceeded in the direction of Swansea.

Witnesses in the Aberdare area heard "something" overhead. Between 7 and 8 o'clock Police Sergeant Evans and a number of other people in Abercynon said that they saw a powerful searchlight, and could distinctly hear a "whizzing noise" as of an air machine. It was travelling at a fast speed in the direction of the upper part of the Aberdare valley.

From some parts of that district, similar accounts came to hand.

From Seven Sisters in the Dulais valley,

Police Sergeant Morgan and Police-constable Foster, of the Glamorgan County Police saw the light. Its presence was first revealed to PC Foster. He was standing at the rear of the police station when he was startled by the flashing of a brilliant light which shone down right upon him. He described it as a searchlight. Looking up, he distinctly saw an airship of the dirigible type speeding swiftly at a considerable height in the direction of Swansea, and he watched it for a full twenty minutes, when it disappeared from view. This statement is confirmed by PS Morgan.

Hundreds of people in the Newport area saw a light soon after 7 PM and continued for over two hours, which was assumed to be that of an airship. It was seen distinctly by people in Rogerstone and Risca, who observed that it seemed directly over Foxwood, about 5 miles to the north-east of Newport. It appeared to have come from the direction of Cardiff (the opposite direction to the progress of the object above). It made turns and sometimes the light would grow dim and almost disappear. Then it would become visible again and seemed to be stationary.

The light at times became so bright that it had the appearance of a searchlight.

An 'airship' was seen over Wenvoe and Barry and passengers on the last train from Pontypridd to Barry followed its movements for some time. It moved about at a great height, making rapid progress through the air in an inland direction from Barry (so could not have been Venus).

Source: 'Western Mail' Thursday 6 February 1913.

At about 9.45 pm, George Winterson, of Ashfield Cottage, Crickhowell said, '....my attention was called to an airship sailing in a North-West direction, apparently coming from the South, at a slow speed and not very high; after travelling three or four miles beyond Crickhowell on the West side of the River Usk; in the direction of Brecon it suddenly turned to the left and disappeared.

Source: 'Western Mail' Monday 17 February 1913.