That 'UFO' was just my Chinese lantern

Scores of people contacted the Dorset Echo after seeing a ‘ball of orange flame’ flying high above Westham earlier this month.

But now Budmouth Technology College teacher Tammy Riley has revealed she was the one causing the stir – after setting off a Chinese lantern in memory of a friend.

Tammy, 34, was with a group of friends marking what would have been the 30th birthday of their friend Tristram Paul Baker.

Mr Baker died aged 18 after a road collision in Fortuneswell, Portland, 11 years ago.

Tammy, of Trenchard Way, Weymouth, said: “I’m sorry to say it wasn’t a UFO, it was me.

“Myself and some friends had met at the Admiral Hardy pub in Chickerell to have a drink for Tristram and while we were there we set off this lantern.

“It was about 7.30pm on a Friday evening and, after it went up, it drifted off towards the Lanehouse area and then began heading Portland way.

“I’m sorry if people are going to be disappointed.”

Speculation over what the object was ranged from space junk burning up on entering Earth’s atmosphere to the Quadrantid meteor shower or a projection of light coming from the ground.

Numerous readers contacted the Dorset Echo after seeing the object with many of them saying they had seen Chinese lanterns in the air before and that this was ‘definitely’ not one.

Several eye-witnesses also reported the sighting to members of Weymouth Astronomy Club, who said they would investigate the claims.

Ms Riley said: “The lantern was quite a big one and had around 15 to 20 minutes of flying time, but I’m sorry to say it definitely was a lantern.

A Dorset Echo report on the sighting also sparked some lively debate on the paper’s website, with Baxters, Nottington, writing: ‘Calm down, calm down. It has to be a magic lantern’.

While some website visitors agreed with that opinion, Scolopax, Wyke Regis, replied: ‘Definitely not Chinese lanterns and definitely not extra-terrestrial (and I’m not guessing!)’.