422

UFO over Blaen-Y-Maes, Swansea in summer 1956: During the summer holidays of 1956, eight-year-old Mike Trew had recently moved to the newly-built Cathan Crescent, in Portmead, and, together with about ten other children were exploring the area along Broughton Avenue into the adjacent Blaen-Y-Maes estate, which was under construction.

They had crossed the little stream (which is still visible in some places) and stopped by where an electricity sub-station was going to be installed, more or less opposite the turning to Blaen-Y-Maes Drive, near where the shops now are.

The children were aged from 7 to 10 years old. Looking back towards Cathan Crescent, a distance of less than a quarter of a mile, he noticed a long cylinder with a length of about four times its diameter which appeared to be hovering above the houses at an altitude of less than 200 feet. it looked just like two 45-gallon oil drums joined together end-to-end and inclined at an angle of around 20 degrees to the horizontal with its long axis aligned NE/SW.

The object seemed to be of metallic construction, was bronze in colour and the sun reflected off five small ridges which ran around it. There were no other visible external features. It made no noise. The 'ridges' seemed to be angular in profile, very much like a hexagon cut in half, with flat top and flat, angled sides, hence the reflection of the sun.

The object was in a position approximately to the SSW, with the afternoon sun just starting to shine onto the side facing him. Mike drew the attention of an older boy to the object, who quickly guessed it must be a balloon.

Although young, Mike had a good understanding of science and was not convinced with this explanation for a number of reasons which he gave:

1. There was no visible tether. 2. It was not shaped like a balloon. 3. It looked metal. 4. It was very big, possibly 30-40 feet long. 5. It's position and inclination did not change over the time he kept watching it, certainly over 30 minutes, though a gentle breeze was blowing. 6. If it was a balloon, who would have access to hydrogen or helium? At that time, only mothers were at home with all the men at work and all the kids in the group. In any case, about 75% of all the houses were unfinished and unoccupied. 7. It was never seen again. Mike said: "Being young I became engrossed in the games we were playing but on the way home I looked out for the object again but it was no longer there." In later life, Mike became a school teacher and taught physics at secondary school level. He is now 70 and has always wanted to share his experience with others. Mike sent us an impression of what it looked like, here presented.

Source: SUFON Files: email from Dr. Mike Trew, August 2018.