PINEHURST residents thought they were in for a close encounter as lights flitted and flew across the night’s sky on Saturday.

The orbs of orange light appeared above Tedder Close at 11pm where they flew in arrow formation, transformed into an oval shape and flew off over towards the M4.

“It was astonishing,” said eye witness Elaine Horgan from Tedder Close.

“I was turning my bedroom lights off when I spotted them in the sky. I thought they were just Chinese lanterns or something but then they formed an arrow shape. I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

The silent orbs flew just a few hundred metres above the ground as dumbstruck residents searched for an explanation.

“We were all out in the street just gawping really,” said Elaine, 40.

“I’m not one for believing in UFOs and all that but I don’t know what else it could be. They were silent.”

Son Jordi, 12, said he was watching alien movie Men In Black when the UFOs appeared.

“It was like an egg shape made up of lights,” he said.

“I thought it was really weird.”

Neighbour Clive Ringham said he thought he’d had one too many at his daughters wedding when he started seeing lights.

“My neighbours were in the street and I said to them ‘Hey I’ve had a few jars but if I tell people about this you’ll back me up tomorrow won’t you?’ “It was mesmerising. By the time any of us realised we needed a picture they were gone. But if we saw it there must have been hundreds of others in Swindon that did too.”

Heidi Dodson from Cunningham Road, Pinehurst said the lights didn’t just pay a visit to Swindon.

“Someone I know saw them in Cirencester,” said the 34-year-old. “Whatever they were they had done a bit of travelling. We’ve all seen things stories in the paper about UFOs that turned out to be lanterns but this was different. It wasn’t a plane and it wasn’t Chinese lanterns. So what was it?”

l Did you see the lights in the sky or can you explain the phenomenon? Call the Adver ewsnroom on 01793 501809