Lancashire becomes Britain's UFO capital with 165 reports
Police records show the North West county surpassed Yorkshire as the nation's sightings hotspot after receiving 165 reports in a single year.
Key figures
| Lancashire reports | 165 |
|---|---|
| Yorkshire reports over two decades | 200 |
| Preston reports in 2025 | 35 |
| Blackburn reports | 13 |
| Burnley reports | 12 |
| Blackpool reports | 11 |
Timeline
- Ministry of Defence began keeping sighting records
- Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt reported seeing lights at RAF Woodbridge
- Preston led Lancashire's hotspots with 35 reports
Lancashire has overtaken Yorkshire as the UFO capital of Britain after police received 165 reports of sightings in a single year [1, 2].
Data from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent to police forces across the United Kingdom revealed the surge [1, 2].
Lancashire reports surge
Police recorded 165 reports in Lancashire between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year [1, 2].
Residents of the North West county reported unidentified aerial phenomena, mysterious lights, and "weird happenings" [1, 2].
Yorkshire was previously dubbed the country’s UFO hotspot after 200 reports over two decades [1, 2].
Preston records most sightings
Preston led the county's hotspots in 2025 with 35 reports [1, 2].
Other notable areas include Blackburn with 13 reports, Burnley with 12, and Blackpool with 11 [1, 2].
Police files released in August describe a range of phenomena [1, 2].
Some reports described drones flying over schools, houses, gardens, and fields [1, 2].
One individual claimed he saw "aliens and spaceship" after leaving a pub [1, 2].
Another caller claimed aliens had killed her cat and were now trying to kill her [1, 2].
National police data
Other forces provided lower figures [1, 2].
Kent Police recorded 52 reports, while the Derbyshire Constabulary logged 37 [1, 2].
City of London Police reported no sightings during the period [1, 2].
Greater Manchester Police refused to provide figures [1, 2].
The force stated that locating the records would take more than 30 hours, exceeding the cost limit for FOI requests [1, 2].
Ministry of Defence records
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has kept sighting records since the 1960s, which are now held at The National Archives [4].
According to The National Archives, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) destroyed UFO material after five years prior to the 1960s [4].
According to The National Archives, reports of sightings were retained after an increase in public interest [4].
MOD files include correspondence on encounters with "Men in Black" on a London railway line and reported interactions with extraterrestrial creatures [4].
Records also include V-shaped patterns that the public questioned were U.S. stealth fighters, such as the B-2 or F-117A based at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath [4].
In December 1980, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt, the United States Air Commanding Officer at RAF Woodbridge, reported seeing lights near a rear gate at a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk [4].
Police investigations
Inspector Roy Teague, an armed response officer with West Midlands police, has investigated hundreds of unexplained UFO sightings reported by serving and retired UK police officers [1, 2].
What we don't know
- On what specific dates in 2025 did the 35 reported sightings in Preston occur?
- What were the results of Inspector Roy Teague's investigations into the sightings reported by UK police officers?
Sources
- UFO reports — nationalarchives.gov.uk
Photos and video from the reports
- Photo: Off-duty cops claimed to have filmed a UFO in the skies above England.
- Video: Illustration of unidentified flying objects hovering over a rural landscape at sunset.
- Photo: Illustration of unidentified flying objects hovering over a rural landscape at sunset.
- Photo: A printed letter from 1981 regarding unexplained lights.
