A number of residents contacted the St Helens Reporter to report seeing weird lights floating across several parts of the borough.

There were three separate sightings in Parr, Haydock and Newton-le-Willows on Saturday night alone.

One resident in Parr said he saw three objects similar to Chinese lanterns zooming across the night sky at around 10.50pm.

"I've never seen anything like it before but I have heard plenty of talk from other folk who reckon they've seen similar things," said the
man, who asked not to be named.

"Before Saturday I was pretty cynical about things like UFOs but after seeing what I saw then I've got to say I've had a change of heart."

Another resident in Haydock reported similar weird shapes roughly 30 minutes later.

He said: "There could be a perfectly rational explanation for all this but then again it could be something stranger.

"I spoke to my mate down the road in Newton the next day and he saw something similar. Whatever it was it was certainly very strange.

"It appeared to be moving very slowly - then accelerated very quickly. I've never seen anything like it before."

Saturday's strange sighting aren't the first to hit St Helens.

In June, X-Files fan Lee Caldwell says he spotted a "weird red light" flying low over the Leach Lane area on Sutton Leach.

And last October, two pals spotted four, orange disc-like objects hovering above the New Street area of Sutton as they were leaving Sutton Cricket Club.

They described the objects as moving slowly and silently through the night sky and heading in the direction of Parr.

* Seen strange objects floating over St Helens - email us here or call the newsdesk on 01744 611011.