Devon "flying cross" police chase

Two police constables driving from Holsworthy to Hatherleigh saw a bright, cross-shaped light at treetop height. They followed it for about 14 miles, at up to 80 mph, and said it was like "looking through wet glass". A second object joined it at 04:23. A Land Rover driver saw it too. It faded at about 5 a.m. The case was raised in Parliament during the autumn 1967 "flying cross" wave.

Explanation

The Ministry attributed it to the planet Venus, as it did several similar sightings that month.

What was seen

Shape: Star-spangled cross of light
Witnesses: PCs Roger Willey and Clifford Waycott; a motorist; two BBC engineers
Duration: About an hour

Sources

• The National Archives (UK) — MoD UFO files
• Wikipedia — UFO sightings in the United Kingdom

Browse

• United Kingdom
• 1960s
• Explained
• Recurring lights
• Official government documents
• Many independent witnesses
• Police witnesses
• Lights and fireballs

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• Red Bluff — California Highway Patrol sighting 13 August 1960
• Cosford incident 30 March 1993
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• Colorado and Nebraska drone swarms 20 December 2019