Name: Adrian

Date of Sighting: 5 November 2009 approx 9:30pm

Location of Sighting: Durham, England

Shape(s) of UFO(s): Looked like a vertical, inverse conical flame

Size(s) of UFO(s): Possibly larger than large airliner

Color(s) of UFO(s): yellowish orange

Number of UFO(s): only one seen

Distance of UFO(s) in sky: you mean height? between 10,000 and 30,000 ft

Direction of Travel for UFO(s): north to south

Other Known Object(s) (For possible reference, or contrast): stratocumulus

Further Description of Sighting: I am not a UFO buff or even interested in UFOs. That is why you might find this interesting.

I am in Durham City, UK and on 5 November 2009 at *about* 9.30pm looked up and saw what *looked like* the flame under a hot air baloon – yellow-orange colour, smaller at the bottom than the top.

If it had been a hot air balloon it would have been at about 1000 ft to have a visible flame this size. It had to be much higher (& therefore massive) though because it was above the thin cloud layer, moving North to South.

Speed across the sky was initially similar to a cruising airliner. Kept watching and EITHER the “flame” size reduced, or the thing speeded up – the latter is more likely because of the position in the sky, assuming it maintained the same altitude.

It changed from large to a dot which persisted in the southern sky for about 5 seconds and then disappeared. No, it was not a Guy Fawkes night firework! I was transfixed on this, not looking around and so did not notice any other similar objects.