PARANORMAL investigators are looking into reports of a mysterious UFO seen flying over Pitsea.

A woman and her son witnessed the “burning fireball” whizzing across the sky at the speed of an aeroplane.

The 40-year-old was driving in Ashlyns, Pitsea, with her son, aged 20, when she spied the spectacle on the horizon at 8.30pm on Friday.

The woman, from Pitsea, said: “We couldn’t believe it. We actually pulled over to watch it. It seemed to be near to the Barstable School area.

“It was like a burning fireball – a bit like a massive firework – but it kept going up and all over the place at such great speed.

“It definitely wasn’t a firework.

“It was almost white it was burning so brightly. I’m not an idiot, I know what I saw and it wasn’t a plane or a balloon or anything like that.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this. My son and I have been talking about it ever since.”

The incident comes just a few weeks after another eerie sighting was made in South Woodham Ferrers. Witnesses reported seeing six strange red lights hovering in the sky.

Paul Joslin, from Crays Hill, near Billericay, is a budding UFO tracker.

Together with his group, the Unknown Phenomena Investigations Association, he looks into mysterious sightings across the district.

He said: “This sounds really interesting. We’ll be looking into it.

“It could have been a UFO balloon, which people deliberately launch to try to trick others into believing they’re seeing a UFO, but it doesn’t sound like it to be honest.

“I would urge anyone else who saw it to come forward as well, so we can get as much information as possible about what it looked like.”

l Did you see the strange lights on Friday, or have you made a UFO sighting recently? Call the Echo on 01268 469308.