STRANGE sightings of a spinning orange object shooting from the sky have been reported by a shocked Warwickshire couple.

Terrified Cliff and Carol Sheldon say the flashing orange mass nearly smashed into their car in Bubbenhall on Monday night.

They say it was cylindrical in shape, and about half the size of their Vauxhall Corsa.

The down-to-earth couple from Stretton-on-Dunsmore say they have always been sceptical about UFOs. But the grandparents of-five are in no doubt about what they saw.

Their claims   more...have been backed by a Warwick University professor with an interest in UFOs. He said they may have seen a meteorite, also known as a shooting star.

Cliff, aged 63, who has recently retired from his garage business, Manhattan Motors in Earlsdon, Coventry, said: "I just saw a great big thing spinning round with lights on.

"Carol was panicking saying: 'That might explode - go, go, go'.

"It was a clear night and I thought 'blinkin' 'eck, what's that?' It could have been something burning. There is no doubt that it was real, and we are genuine."

Carol, aged 58, described a flat round structure 'like a giant dinner plate' that was flashing orange.

She said: "I put my fingers in my ear and thought it was going to explode. We were both terrified and shocked.

"It was moving very fast and we thought it was going to hit the car. It looked like it must have come down in the fields nearby.

"We reported it to the police although I don't suppose they believed us. But there is no way you could make something up like that."

Their UFO sighting was at 9pm on Stoneleigh Road in Bubbenhall, though nearby Coventry Airport reported "nothing untoward" on the night in question.

But Dr Jack Cohen, a professor and scientist from Warwick University who researches UFOs, said: "It's more likely to be a meteorite than a flying saucer. My guess is there are two or three a day coming down in England.

"It's not unreasonable that one could have come down close to someone."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We do from time to time get people reporting this kind of thing to us, particularly if they want to check military aircraft movement.

"But we're not aware of anything reported to us that would corroborate that claim from Monday night."

Stephen.  less