Every reported UFO sighting in Leeds over 13 years revealed by previously top-secret RAF data

The RAF took the decision to wind up its UFO unit in 2009, after concluding that in more than 50 years, no received report had ever disclosed any evidence of a potential threat.

Previously, records from the unit were given to the National Archives, often initially classified before being released after a specific number of years.

A spokesman for the RAF said that “it had been assessed that it would be better to publish these records, rather than continue sending documents to the National Archives" and the most recent reports are now available on a dedicated gov.uk web page.

The reports show every claimed UFO sighting in Leeds recorded by the RAF from 1997 to 2009.

The RAF described the files as “comprising entirely of correspondence with members of the public”.

It added: “The MoD has no opinion on the existence or otherwise of extra terrestrial life and does not investigate UFO reports.”

Nick Pope, who used to investigate reports of UFO sightings for the MoD, welcomed the move.

“Given the massive public interest in this subject, I’m pleased that these files will be released and made available online,” he said.

“The MoD have previously claimed that all the files have been released – only to find additional ones – so this latest move is bound to start a few conspiracy theories.

“When I worked on the MoD’s ‘UFO desk’ we didn’t find definitive proof of extraterrestrial visitation, but there were so many bizarre and unexplained sightings that we didn’t entirely rule it out. I’m glad the public are to be given further insights into our work on these real-life X-Files.”

This is every UFO sighting reported in Leeds during 1997-2009 with a brief description of the sighting.

2009 sightings:

- February 15, Aberford. Witness saw a long light flashing like a laser. Sometimes there were two lights crossing over. This is the third time they have been seen over six weeks.

- April 8, Leeds. A ball of fire.

- September 2, Leeds. Low flying object. Nine orange lights, no sound

- October 4, Pudsey. Incredibly bright light in sky, at first light was white but changed to bright orange. Appeared to be big and pulsating and followed him. Light shot across sky then disappeared.

- November 1, Leeds. Orange circular lights very fast going West to Leeds centre.

2008 sightings:

- February 17, Leeds. A jumbo jet sized object. The object was flat and round, with a blue rippled underside. It made no sound and then disappeared.

- March 23, Leeds. Circular objects seen over Leeds.

- May 31, Leeds. Two bright lights were moving fast from West to East. They were at typical jet height. They then went behind trees and just disappeared.

- July 27, Leeds. There was one lit up circle and then 24 appeared all spaced. They were all in the same line of path and moving at the same speed.

- September 1, Rothwell. An orb shaped object, with a disc shape underneath, was in the sky for about ten to fifteen minutes.

- November 8, Carlton near Rothwell. The objects looked like Chinese lanterns. They were orange in colour and very bright. The objects moved very fast and were extremely manoeuvrable.

2007 sighting:

- No Firm Date, reported on May 1 in Leeds. A white light hovering. Two more little white lights joined the first one. They were all hovering.

2005 sighting:

- January 14, Leeds. Two bright lights, really round, and orange in colour.

2004 sighting:

- May 14, Leeds. A very bright light, and also saw strobe lights near the bright light.

2003 sighting:

- January 27, Leeds. Four small bright, white lights that looked like headlamps.

2001 sighting:

- December 31, Leeds. Looked like a bright orange tear drop shaped object, that appeared to have lightning coming from its sides.

2000 sightings:

- January 17, Leeds. Disc that was illuminated. About 200 ft up and 150 ft long.

- February 13, Chapeltown. Two round objects, bigger than stars. Both red and white in colour. Very bright. Stationary.

- June 11, Leeds. An object descended in an arc, it had three intense red lights, which seemed to make the whole thing glow red.

1999 sighting:

- February 22, Leeds. Two very large round, white objects. Very bright.

1998 sighting:

- December 19, Leeds. One bright, circular, white, red and green object. Was pulsating.

1997 sightings:

- February 5, Beeston. One object that was spherical shaped. It was silver in colour and very shiny and bright. It remained steady and then disappeared.

- February 8, Cross Green. One object, round shaped, consisting of a large, bright light. It was moving from East to West.

- August 9, Leeds. Three objects. They looked round. They were white and all as bright as a star. The objects moved from East to West and back to East again.

- August 16, Leeds. One, round shaped object. It had a strobe light, that was white with a red tint. Was dimmer than a star. Object was very high up and the strobe light was very fast.