Science fiction and fantasy dramas like Doctor Who and Torchwood may be behind a rise in UFO sightings in built up areas of Wales, an expert has said.

Nick Pope, the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) former UFO project head, was commenting on figures released by the MoD which show sightings have gone up.

He said other sightings reflected the growing popularity of Chinese lanterns.

In 2006, 97 UFOs were reported across the UK. This rose to 135 in 2007 and 285 in 2008, with 18 Wales sightings.

These sightings in Wales included bright white objects over Anglesey, black disc shaped objects in the skies over Neath Port Talbot, objects moving like a football over Pontypridd and a UFO in Old Colwyn, Conwy, which was “bigger than a helicopter”.

Mr Pope, who continues his research into the phenomena of UFOs on a private basis, said he believed the revitalisation of the Doctor Who franchise had made people more open to seeing UFOs.

“If I am being cynical, maybe Doctor Who and Torchwood being filmed in Cardiff and the surrounding area might make people look to the skies more than they would previously,” he said.

“There have been quite a few sightings in Cardiff, Barry, Swansea and other built up areas in the south of the country.

“Traditionally people think of UFO sightings as taking place in a deserted and dark part of the countryside but many of the Wales sightings are from cities and towns.”

Across the UK as a whole, the number of sightings have doubled from 2007 to 2008.

Mr Pope said he believed the reasons for this included the growing popularity of Chinese lanterns, which float off and glow brightly in the sky after being lit, and are well known for being mistaken as UFOs.

Last year, lanterns lit and set off at the wedding of Lucy and Lyn Thomas from Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, made headlines around the world when police officers in a helicopter admitted they could have mistaken them for UFOs.

Mr Pope also said the very fact that the MoD were releasing its files on the sightings was generating interest in the UFO phenomena.

“It is being covered on Newsnight and on the front page of the Sun,” he said.

“You have to go back to 1985 before I can recall another UFO story on the front page of a newspaper.

“UFOs are a subject that almost everyone has an opinion on. It is one of those great subjects which if you mention it down the pub, someone will claim to have seen one, and another person will claim it’s all a big government cover up and another will say it’s all a load of rubbish.”

But while it was an interesting and fun subject to debate, there was also a serious side, said Mr Pope.

“The UFO debate does raise important defence and air safety issues,” he said.

“One case that springs to mind is the recent incident at RAF St Athan when a police helicopter was apparently nearly hit by a UFO.

“Another near collision happened last year over Birmingham when the pilot had to take evasive action to avoid hitting a UFO.

“This is why their investigation is important.”

Source: news.bbc

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