A UFO buff from Lewisham who spotted flying objects heading towards the Thames Barrier is hoping like-minded sky-gazers can help him figure out what he saw on the horizon.

Andrew Burlington, 40, of Cliffview Road, was on a family outing on August 12 when he saw what he believes could have been a fleet of UFOs heading towards Charlton.

His two young nephews were with him at the time - but unfortunately his parents, Les and Sandra Burlington, 70 and 69, were off buying a parking ticket.

The computer technician told News Shopper: “We thought the objects were balloons at first because they were spherical and some had small objects hanging from them.

“But they were soon out of sight and the last object in the fleet appeared to lose altitude and flash a few times before slowly turning invisible.

“The fact that a long anomalous object shoots across the sky at the start of the video may well indicate that a UFO mothership was above the Thames Barrier releasing smaller UFOs.”

News Shopper:

Andrew managed to capture footage of the phenomenon with his digital camera

Spotting otherworldly beings in the sky is nothing new to hobby UFO researcher Andrew.

In 2013 he released a series of videos under the name of Victor Nevada on a YouTube channel, offering a new insight into an ‘alien interview’ which has long been the subject of debate over whether it’s real or a hoax.

But the experience was a first for nephews Ewan, 11, and Finley, 8.

Andrew said: “My nephews couldn't believe it. I'm glad they witnessed it with me even though they're children.

“They'd heard me talk about my UFO sightings in the past and probably thought I was pulling their legs.”

Mr Burlington managed to capture some video of the phenomenon with his digital camera, and when he slowed down the footage, he spotted a different type of object moving very quickly.

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He said: “I don’t know if it’s a long insect or a cigar-shaped UFO whizzing by – I just don’t know what it is.

“There is also a smaller, darker object moving around in all directions of the compass at the start of the video.

“There’s a possibility it could be a bird, but then it could be a black triangular or v-shaped UFO, like an object I saw over Lewisham in May 2014.”

Mr Burlington hopes more witnesses will come forward to help him find out more about what he saw.

He said: “Being so close to City Airport, I am wondering if the anomalous objects were picked up on radar.”

News Shopper:

A close-up of what Andrew says could be a mothership

His findings have impressed well-known UFO experts including Nick Pope, the former Ministry of Defence UFO Investigator, and Gary Heseltine, a former police officer and current editor of UFO Truth Magazine.

He said: “I know sceptics will say these were nothing more than balloons released from a boat on the river.

“To the doubters, I say this:

“Being a skywatcher in an urban area, I am familiar with just about all types of conventional aircraft and balloons.

“If the objects were merely balloons, then what caused them to fade and vanish into thin air?

“This UFO sighting is one of many I have experienced over the last two and a half years and is just one piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is ufology.”

London City Airport declined to comment, telling News Shopper the air traffic control at the airport is outsourced to NATS.

NATS did not respond to News Shopper’s request for comment on whether they picked up the unidentified objects on their radar system.