By BRIAN TILLEY

Published at 09:38, Friday, 06 August 2010

A MYSTERIOUS light in the sky in the Newbrough area on Friday night has sparked a wave of UFO speculation.

One caller who contacted the Courant declined to give his name for fear of being ridiculed, but said: “I was driving along the A69 between Haydon Bridge and Hexham around 11.30pm when I noticed this really bright orange light in the sky somewhere between Fourstones and Newbrough.

“It was moving quite slowly, but as I watched it, it turned round, and shot off north at a very high speed.

“I’m normally very sceptical about these things, but you have to accept the evidence of your own eyes.”

A possible explanation could be the trend for launching paper lanterns containing candles at parties.

They can travel for considerable distances before the flame goes out.

However, a second witness, Paul Foster, of Stocksfield, said the light had moved far too quickly for a paper lantern.

“It was a bright orange saucer shape like a frisbee,” he said.

“It changed direction and disappeared very quickly.”

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk