MORE readers claim to have seen a mysterious purple object over Basingstoke.

Following a report by the Gazette, the newsdesk received calls and e-mails from readers saying they, too, had seen a strange craft in the sky on Saturday, August 4.

As reported last week, lorry driver Kris Reed, 29, claimed to have spotted the pear-shaped object from his home in Richmond Road, Oakridge, Basingstoke.

He said it hovered overhead before moving off with a rumbling noise.

Learning and development assistant Helaine Brownhill, from Norden Close, claimed she, too, saw something other-worldly.

She said: "At about 11pm on the Saturday, a car alarm had been going off and I went to my daughter's room to see where it was coming from.

"I saw a large reddish orb appear in the sky over the Houndmills area before very slowly moving across the sky and towards town. It stopped mid-air and rotated in a circle.

"It was moving too slowly to be a helicopter or the police plane that sometimes flies over. I went to get my husband to come and see, but, by the time he came, it had disappeared."

Andrew Keeble, 64, a taxi driver from New Road, Bramley, claims to have watched the same UFO six days later.

He said: "I was taking two passengers to Winklebury and, suddenly, we caught sight of this bright deep orangey-red light flickering through the trees.

"We went nearer and sat in the car watching it hover almost above us for about four or five minutes, before losing sight of it behind some trees.

"About half-an-hour later, I was in between jobs in Oakridge and saw the same thing again.

"I got out of my car to look at it and it vanished instantly."

As reported last week, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said sightings are only investigated if considered a potential threat.