Over the past few weeks I have been receiving a few interesting reports that are strikingly similar.

ALL the sightings have involved a "commercial flight" and ALL the reports have contained the sighting of a "silver ball" or "orb" that has not only been seen in the same airspace as the flights but has also been seen to FOLLOW the flights.

These reports remind me of the Foo Fighter that use to follow not only the British bombers but also the Germans as they flew on their various missions.and I guess we have to ask, Have the Foo Fighters returned?

1st report 27.6.01, Cumbria, 13.45 hours-14.00 hours: Our witness was out walking with his Girlfriend and dog when they noticed a plane flying overhead.  After viewing the pane for a few seconds they soon realised that the plane was not alone as behind the plane was what he described as a "silver ball".

This silver ball was level with the plane but seemed to be catching up with it and soon was holding a position behind the tail of the plane.  After a short while the object made its way along the body of the plane and towards the cockpit where it the stayed for a further 2 mins before dropping beneath the plane and moving between the cockpit/body & wing at which point it took off at great speed.

Letters have been sent to the MoD, CAA & BPA.

2nd Report 8.7.01, Liverpool, 17.00 hours:  Our witness made his statement:

"It was around 5pm my wife & were walking with our two children, when I pointed out a plane to my 2 year old boy, following the vapour trail back in the sky, just stationary in the sky was what I can only describe as an orb (like the ones seen in Mexico), we watched it for about two minutes, when I said to my wife well go back to our house and get our camcorder, we rushed back, but by the time I got outside again the object was nowhere to be seen."

Letter sent to MoD.

"About 8:10am I was approaching the roundabout from the A638 to join the M1at Junction 40. I was in a queue of traffic waiting to enter the flow of traffic around the roundabout, and I looked up. There were some large patches of blue sky showing through the clouds, and as I glanced up I saw a commercial aircraft travelling at altitude in an easterly direction, (travelling away from me.) It was clearly visible, complete with vapour trial and it was being followed by a silver ball that I judged to be at the same altitude. I estimated that the ball was about a quarter of the size of the aircraft, following some six to eight lengths behind it, keeping the same distance. As the aircraft made a turn of about 20 degrees, the silver ball took a shallower path in the turn but continued following the aircraft.   At that point, it was my turn to join the traffic at the roundabout, and as I was joining the M1 I didn't get a chance to pull over to continue watching this strange sighting."

Letter sent to MoD.

Update:  As you will have already seen with the sighting from Cumbria, I sent a letter to the BPA (British Pilots Association), although I have been told it is now called  BALPA.....and I was not expecting to get an e-mail from a Mr. Trevor Phillips (Scheduling Officer BALPA).  The fact that this Mr. Phillips sent me an e-mail was shocking in itself. But what he had to say in his reply did not impress me......as you will see Mr Phillips has his own opinion about this sort of thing, and Yes he is entilted too.  But when he works for an offical body (BALPA) and he is dealing with a member of the public he should act in a professional manner and not try and belittle me or the topic of my investigation.

E-mail received from Trevor Phillips:

Dear Mr. ***********

Many thanks for your letter regarding the mysterious "silver ball" seen from the ground over Cumbria in relation to a commercial aircraft. There have been no reports filed with us regarding the day in question.

There are a number of possible explanations for this type of phenomena.  Amongst the most likely is the reflection on the aircraft of the sun - I am assuming that it was a sunny day for the observer to have witnessed the passage of a commercial aircraft's over Cumbria. Typically it would be over 30,000ft en route between England and Scotland (or vice-versa).

Of course it might possibly be a manifestation of Melvyn Bragg on the astral plane, I understand he comes from Workington in Cumbria. However that would appear to be a less likely event.

I am sorry that we cannot help further.

Yours sincerely, Trevor Phillips

Scheduling Officer BALPA

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Now paragraph 1 is acceptable as Mr. Phillips informs me that "There have been no reports filed with us" and in paragraph 2 he even gives some poor excuses as to what could have been viewed.......but what he had to say in paragraph 3 is TOTALLY unacceptable and uncalled for, and I sent him e-mail back to tell him just that..

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Reply I sent to Mr. Phillips e-mail:

Dear Mr Phillips,

Many thanks for your e-mail. I was very impressed at your quick response...something that I was not impressed at were the remarks that you made regarding this report.

Maybe you don't "believe" what my witness had to say, and that is your right, but to try and make a joke or "funny" remark (Of course it might possibly be a manifestation of Melvyn Bragg on the astral plane, I understand he comes from Workington in Cumbria. However that would appear to be a less likely event.) was uncalled for.

You may regard the subject of Ufology as waste of time, but we try to be professional about every report we receive. Pity the BALPA are not professional in the way they handle members of the public. I would like to know who is your Boss? Where can I contact him?

Maybe you would like to make "Funny", "Witty" or "Clever" remarks about these two further reports that we are investigating. The only funny thing I see is that an object has been seen to be trailing various flights. and you only need one collision with one of the objects. I am sure the national press would not accept your explanation of "Melvyn Bragg on the astral plane" to be a good enough explanation.

I await your reply.

Mr. **********

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Yet again Mr. Phillips sent me a reply to this e-mail.

Well Mr.*********

I did provide you with the answer you asked for, which was that no report, pilot or otherwise, had been received here of the manifestation cited. I also provided you with the most likely explanation and stated that there was a range of further explanations. I did mention Mr. Melvyn Bragg as the least likely explanation, it all depends on your beliefs - I do not criticise yours and you should not criticise mine.

I hold that the response you received was wholly professional, it was rapid, precise and the best I could do. I work for the organ you approached, namely BALPA, it follows that 'my boss', as you put it, is the General Secretary of that organisation.

I would not dispute the point you make that an airbourne collisions should be avoided, however it is the case that they have never been avoided by general reports from members of the public.

I wish you well in your study of ufology. As I said above you should not criticise me for my balmy beliefs.

Yours sincerely, Trevor Phillips

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Well what can I say but I think this Mr. Phillips should keep his "balmy beliefs" (I think he means barmy) to himself when he is dealing with a member of the the public.....he also seems to get a little touchy when he says "you should not criticise me for my balmy beliefs", but yet he can criticise me for MINE.

Andy Ellis - Director Yorkshire UFO Info