Appearance / Description of Object(s)

Bright white light flashing, then dividing into two, and then three, all blinking on/off at a rate of approximately one flash per second & moving in different directions. It was at least as high in the sky as a plane, and the first flashing light reminded me of wing lights blinking on and off.. but when it divided it really got my attention. My mind is still boggled when I think of it.

Size of Object(s)

From my viewpoint it was a long way away, & high in the sky and all three flashing lights appeared to me as about the size of match heads. I had (and still have) no experience with aircraft and am unable to judge size from this distance.

Description of Area / Surroundings

A housing estate built approx 1930s going up a steep hill. At the top of the hill was a farm with open fields. At the bottom of the hill was the main road into Oxford city. There is/was an American Air Force base near Oxford at the time,but I never knew the distance or direction from Botley.

Full Description & Details

I was married with a young baby and living on the Elms Rise estate just outside Oxford, in the Botley area. At the top of the hill was a small shop (I believe this shop is no longer there), which I had just been into, and I was returning down the hill to my house (approx halfway down). This is quite a steep hill, and the view ahead of me was fairly unobstructed as this road went all the way down the hill, so I could see across the top of houses and across to the horizon/skyline.

As I was walking down the road I noticed a bright light flashing on and off, approx once per second, and travelling from the left side of my field of view towards my right. It looked similar to a plane's wing-light flashing, but I continued watching as it was passing right in front of me. Suddenly this light divided and became two lights, still blinking, but now going in opposite directions (one appeared to be moving left to right, and the other was now moving right to left). This caught my attention and I stood still to watch. Then a third light appeared in the centre between the other two, and began moving off at an angle of approximately 90% to them. I couldn't judge whether this third light was moving downwards or just away from me, but it was also blinking on/off at the same rate. From the little I could judge, they were at the same elevation. I can only describe the relative positions as following gridlines from a connecting point.

When they had travelled across most of the sky that I could see, they vanished. I was left thinking "That's odd. Planes don't do that! " I listened to the local radio station (Radio Oxford) the next day hoping to hear more about it, but all I heard was that a lot of people had reported it, and one amateur astronomer had stayed up all night with his telescope hoping to see it again, but it hadn't returned. It was not mentioned other than as a curiosity ,and no attempt was made to explain it at the time.

I wish I knew what I had seen, even if the knowledge leaves me feeling foolish.

Can sighting be explained as any conventional man-made or natural object?

I could not then, and still cannot, think of any conventional, natural or man-made object that would divide into 3 apparently equal pieces, all blinking on/off in unison, once per second, and travelling in 3 directions. I wish I could.

Witness Background

I was educated at Grammar School level in Oxford, but my education was not continued due to ill health at the time. I have since trained as a typist, but have retained an interest in all the sciences and read as much as I can about any topic that catches my eye & makes me think about things. (My main interests through the years have been genetics and quantum physics - not that I claim to understand either, I am just fascinated by both & try to read as much as I can about them)

Views on UFOs, before and after sighting

I had heard the term UFO before, but had no real interest in the subject and had not read anything about the subject. Since I saw these lights, I have remained very curious and have read a great deal. But I don't understand much more now than I did then.

Other Comments

My viewpoint has remained that whether what I saw was man-made, natural, or some other alternative. I just want to know!

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