DEFENCE chiefs are convinced If the truth is out there -it could be in Gloucestershire.

Staff at the Ministry of Defence have recorded nine UFO sightings in county skies since 1998.

Details of the MoD's X-Files released under the Freedom of Informatioin Act reveal Glouchestershire as an intergalactic hotspot.

Residents reported three close encounters in 2005 -one of the county's busiest years for UFO sightings.

These extra-terrestrial revelations come before the MoD publishes its UFO files dating back to 1967.

Stories of strange lights, circular objects and flashes in the sky from Cheltenham to Gloucester feature in the MoD's records.

Strange lights were spotted in the sky "at a very high altitude" in Nailsworth, while mysterious objects were reported just days apart in Cheltenham.



A series of pink lights moving in an arc were seen In Lechlade In 2002, while earlier the same year, a bright semi-circle object was reported moving in a straight line across the skies over Cirencester.



In 2000, there were a further three reports made including one in Uley where an object, with no vapour trail, was spotted. following an airliner.

In the same year, in Dursley, in the early hours of the morning a blue and white Dash was seen from within the woods, and the sky "took on a red glow".



A round slow-moving intense white light was reported in Lydney In 1998.

It's thought most reports were simply collected and filed by a small scret unit within defence intelligence, but a few were investigated by the miltary.

Although the MoD does not have any expertise in respect of UFOs, it is required to investigate every sighting to establish whether UK airspace has been compromised.



An MoD spokesman. said: "The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity.

"If required, sighting reports are examined with the assistance of the department's air defence experts.



"Unless there is evidence of a potential threat. there is no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported.''