South Shields UFO (1966)

On 7 March 2013 Mike Hallowell published the article below in the Shields Gazette entitled ‘Did Barry have close encounter with a UFO?’ In the article the article he gives Gazzette reader Barry Alton’s account of a UFO he saw in 1966.

“It was on a clear and gentle night during the winter of 1966, maybe September and about 8pm.

“Myself, my wife and my two brothers-in-law (aged 13 and 17 at the time) saw a UFO uncannily similar to that in your article.

“We first saw the object while walking on the way to our residence in Hyde Street, via the old Westoe Colliery steps over the train lines near Osbourne Avenue.

“It was wandering slowly around the sky on a general route over North Shields towards Tyne Dock.

“It was just a small white light at this time – I could tell it was not a conventional aircraft due to the strange ‘wandering manoeuvres’ it was taking.

“The object had disappeared from our view by the time we had arrived at Hyde Street, some 10 minutes later.

“My two brothers-in-law were going to a fish and chip shop in Westoe Road.

“Suddenly, the UFO appeared and flew almost directly over us. Believe me, it was a vision I will never forget. This was without doubt a UFO.

“The only noise we could hear was a soft humming sound as this ‘flying saucer’– shaped craft flew slowly towards the town hall in a north westerly direction.

“The black, circular shape was clearly visible as it blocked out the stars while it progressed across the sky.

“The circular white light was directly underneath and centrally located on the underbelly of the craft, and was approximately one-third of the size of the entire object.

“Around the circumference was an aurora of soft and colourful plasma-type light.

“We estimated the UFO to be travelling at about 15mph and that it was at least 40ft in diameter.

“We watched this unbelievable sight for about two minutes as the object skimmed about 100ft above the rooftops of the houses in Westoe Road.

“We never officially reported this incident, knowing it would only be disbelieved”.