BARLICK'S answer to X-Files UFO hunter Fox Mulder is determined to get to the bottom of Pendle's most enduring mystery.

Sky watcher Simon Whitehead is convinced the area is being visited by craft that may prove to be literally out of this world.

And he's asking Citizen readers to come forward with reports on anything out of the ordinary they spot in our skies.

Simon, who started his UFO quest after his own close encounter, told the Citizen: "There is definitely a UFO hot spot around here - there are so many reports, especially from the Carleton Moor area.

"I've met some people who are too frightened to go up onto the moors because of all this.

"There's nothing odd about the people who are coming forward - they're normal, down to earth types."

Objects sighted by witnesses range from balls of light to black triangles that seem to defy the laws of aerodynamics. Despite their otherwordly appearance, Simon feels there may be a more earthly explanation.

"The US military have definitely got some exotic aircraft in testing, but according to aviation experts there's nothing they know of that would explain the sort of things being reported here."

Among the many witnesses Simon has contacted during his investigations are the Ford family from Barnoldswick. Over the past couple of years the Fords have spotted numerous unexplained lights hovering above the hills facing their home.

Dad Melvin told us: "Someone knows what's going on around here and I think the military is taking an interest in this.

"We've taken a video of one of these lights above the hills but I just can't explain what it is. For some reason they seem to be taking an interest in an underground reservoir near our house.

"I've also seen military helicopters hovering around the same site - I don't know what they were doing here but it must be connected."

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