There are a number of U.K. UFO events which have gone down in UFO History and folklore both on a local and international basis. Of these the incidents which immediately spring to mind are “The Rendlesham Forest Incident”, RAF Cosford etc…    However, in the 1960s and early 1970s a whole series of UFO and paranormal incidents occurred in and around a quiet and comfortable, typically English country town located in Wiltshire lying just to the south west of Salisbury plain.The town, of course, is Warminster and the UFO sightings and paranormal events which befuddled this town ultimately featured on the front pages of the national press.

Not only were UFOs observed in the Wiltshire skies but strange humanoid beings were seen in the local countryside, beings that disappeared when approached. The inhabitants of Warminster did not just to have to tolerate UFOs but strange ghostly apparitions.

Warminster a cosy country town which was to be come the UFO Capital of the U.K.“The Thing” – a UFO allegedly photographed by Gordon Faulkner.

The Thing!

On 29^th August 1965, a young lad, Gordon Faulkner, claimed to have taken a photograph of a typical UFO which was dubbed the “Warminster Thing”. The photograph, according to Faulkner, was taken from the town centre and after appearing in the Warminster Journal was given much publicity in the national tabloid press. In 1994, A certain Roger Hooton came forward claiming that he and Faulkner had faked the picture with a button and a cotton reel.Faulkner declared that the photo was genuine and was “mystified” as he had never known anyone named Hooton. Faulkner stood by his photograph.

Gordon Faulkner as he appeared in the National Press.

Certainly Faulkner’s mother, Olive Emm, maintained that her son was honest in his claims that he did actually photograph a UFO.By mid 1965 the community of Warminster was so bedevilled by reports of the paranormal that local councillor Emlyn Rees held a public meeting in order to discuss recent events. There was some concern voiced over the potential threat to the public from “The Thing”. A number of sober members of the local community described their experiences of UFO sightings.

Following the national publicity that the area received many UFO enthusiasts and “skywatchers” made a pilgrimage to Warminster, searching the skies, hoping to see “The Thing”.

In fact, peering into the skies from hills around the town became what could be described as a “social event” in itself.

Paul Devereaux, a British researcher, noted that there were a number of tectonic faults beside Cley Hill, a major viewpoint for UFOs, and concluded that the phenomena were caused by “earth lights”.