A SECRET Government base hollowed out deep beneath the Black Mountains could be one explanation for strange sightings in the Forest area, says the man behind a recently-formed UFO group.
"When you think of it the Forest and the area around it has a lot to offer if you want to operate in secret," says Michael Carter.
"It is so remote, yet close to main towns like Gloucester and Bristol, and most people who live in the area are so involved with their lives to notice anything abnormal going on in the skies."
Mr Carter and his mother, Margaret Coles, launched the new group less than a month ago and have already held a successful meeting for interested people in the Victoria Hotel, Newnham-on-Severn.
People from Ross and Monmouth joined as well as Forest enthusiasts and it was agreed to organise activities including field trips – perhaps to places like the Black Mountains to investigate the claim about the secret base which appeared in a national UFO and mystery magazine.
Mr Carter said members of the group – and telephone callers – had backed up his belief that there was a concentration of UFO activity in the area.
What the group was about was investigating unidentified flying objects and other paranormal happenings to try to discover what was behind them.
"I had a call the other evening about lights in the sky over Coleford, and I was able to track the source down to spotlights at the Angel Hotel playing on the cloud base," he said.
"It just goes to show that some sightings are not very mysterious at all, even though the observes in this case had thought the lights came from above the clouds."
The next meeting of the group is on Sunday may 2 and details are available from Mr Carter on 01594 823491 or Mrs Coles on 01594 825662.