London, England, May 1955May 1955

On the afternoon of May 25, 1955, a man stood in a public garden in North Harringay, London, watching an American four-engine bomber fly overhead at about 22,000 feet during a routine exercise. The observer held a pair of 3x30 binoculars and had recently returned from a walk. As he watched the bomber, he suddenly noticed a small round object to its left, visible to his naked eye but no larger than a pinhead.

The observer raised his binoculars to get a better look. Through the glasses, the object enlarged to roughly the size of a pea. He described it as amber or reddish in color, circular in shape, with no vapor trail. The bomber appeared about an inch in size through the same binoculars. Over the next three minutes and ten seconds, the object displayed what the observer characterized as erratic and highly controlled movements. It approached the bomber at tremendous speed, then suddenly stopped at an altitude near 30,000 feet, hovering almost directly overhead for about two minutes. The object then darted sharply northward, reversed course back toward the bomber, and abruptly accelerated westward at incredible speed before vanishing in the distance above the horizon.

The observer was an experienced British civilian employed by the Board of Trade in the London photo-reconnaissance unit. He had binoculars, clear daylight conditions, and an unobstructed view. He also noted that the object's movements appeared deliberate and intelligently controlled. The Air Force's investigation noted that the observer was described as a "flying saucer enthusiast" who had reported similar sightings twice in the previous nine years. The file indicates the Air Force considered him somewhat biased in his statements. The weather on the date of sighting was clear with easterly winds at 40 knots.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, comprising seven pages.