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8 OCTOBER 1998 – BISHOPSTON

Neil Spring with friend and amateur astronomer, Heidi Cook had gone outside in Bishopston to observe a predicted meteor shower. They chose to observe the display from Bishopston Comprehensive School playing fields, away from the glare of street lights.

They heard the distant sound of a helicopter in the area. At approximately 7.55 PM, something in the sky caught their attention. An object was heading their way, and Neil ruled out a meteor or bright star. In the eastern hemisphere they saw a gleaming red light. At a higher angle to this was another similarly coloured light. They watched both lights with interest, and given they were too large and the wrong colour to be stars, they wondered what they could be.

They then realised that they were in fact attached to two fast moving elongated objects, flying at the same approximate altitude as light aircraft. Also fast approaching, though not yet within visual range, were what they took to be helicopters, whose sound from their rotor blades had grown noticeably louder. The two unknown objects skimmed smoothly through the sky, maintaining a steady course and short distance from one another.

Their lights were steady and undulating, distinctively different from those of conventional aircraft. And behind these, they discerned the clear, dark outlines of solid objects. Neil explained that interestingly, for a moment, the craft came so close that they appeared to merge into a single, pencil-shaped entity, much like that described by Mr. M. J. Smedly.

They had already determined that there were in fact two objects: thus they concluded that the impression that there might be one was an illusion, caused by the changing angle of observation.

Suddenly, the sound of whirling rotor blades, filled the night air as three low-flying helicopters loomed into view. As they approached the field, two of them began to circle the area, while the third took off after the objects.

The UFOs responded with an exponential increase in speed, and, as the chasing helicopter drew nearer, they climbed together into the sky. The lone chopper seemed undeterred and maintained its heading for the craft.

Glancing behind, Neil noticed that the two remaining helicopters had changed course in the direction of Swansea Airport, some two miles away.

Meanwhile, the UFOs were definable now only as small, diminishing points of light at great altitude. The distance they had covered from the time they first saw them was considerable.

As if recognising the pointlessness of pursuing these objects, the lone helicopter disengaged and followed the others in the direction of the airport.

Momentarily obscured by a tree, the points of light re-emerged into view and then, within an instant, vanished from view.

Source: Neil Spring UFO Magazine June 2001.