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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| UFO claim over wind farm damage | UFO claim over wind farm damage |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| UFO enthusiasts are claiming damage to a Lincolnshire wind farm turbine was caused by a mystery aircraft. | |
| The turbine at Conisholme lost one 66ft (20m) blade and another was badly damaged in the early hours of Sunday. | |
| County councillor for the area Robert Palmer said he had seen a "round, white light that seemed to be hovering". | |
| Ecotricity, which owns the site, said while investigations continued they were not ruling anything out - but the extent of damage was "unique". | Ecotricity, which owns the site, said while investigations continued they were not ruling anything out - but the extent of damage was "unique". |
| The turbine is one of 20 at the Conisholme site, which has been only been fully operational since April 2008. The broken blade has been recovered and is being examined. | The turbine is one of 20 at the Conisholme site, which has been only been fully operational since April 2008. The broken blade has been recovered and is being examined. |
| Local ufologists said they had received many reports of activity in the area and had teams searching for clues. | |
| To make one of these blades fall off, or to bend it, takes a lot Dale Vince, Ecotricity | |
| Mr Palmer said: "I actually saw a white light - a round, white light that seemed to be hovering. | |
| "That is the only way I can explain it - it wasn't a flare-like light - it was just round, white light with a slight red edge to it that seemed to be over the wind turbines." | |
| Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said the company was keeping an open mind about the incident. | Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said the company was keeping an open mind about the incident. |
| "We don't have an explanation at the moment as to what the cause was," he said. | "We don't have an explanation at the moment as to what the cause was," he said. |
| "We have been crawling all over it and have sent bits off for analysis to see if we can work out what caused it. | "We have been crawling all over it and have sent bits off for analysis to see if we can work out what caused it. |
| "Until we have some idea, some plausible explanation that it was not a UFO, I don't think we should rule it out". | "Until we have some idea, some plausible explanation that it was not a UFO, I don't think we should rule it out". |
| 'Low-flying aircraft' | |
| He added: "To make one of these blades fall off, or to bend it, takes a lot." | He added: "To make one of these blades fall off, or to bend it, takes a lot." |
| Russ Kellett, from the Flying Saucer Bureau, said witnesses had told him of activity in the area. | Russ Kellett, from the Flying Saucer Bureau, said witnesses had told him of activity in the area. |
| "One saw what they at first thought was a low-flying aircraft on the Saturday evening and another heard a loud banging in the early hours of Sunday," he said. | "One saw what they at first thought was a low-flying aircraft on the Saturday evening and another heard a loud banging in the early hours of Sunday," he said. |
| "This is the second most reports of activity we have ever had - I have had over 30 phone calls and emails. | "This is the second most reports of activity we have ever had - I have had over 30 phone calls and emails. |
| "To hit two of the blades, any object must have been about 170ft long." | "To hit two of the blades, any object must have been about 170ft long." |
| The Ministry of Defence said it was not looking into the incident. | The Ministry of Defence said it was not looking into the incident. |
| A spokesman said: "The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity. | A spokesman said: "The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity. |
| "Unless there's evidence of a potential threat, there's no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported." | "Unless there's evidence of a potential threat, there's no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported." |
| Ecotricity said it hoped to have the turbine back in action within a week. |