On the 24th of October 1967, in Devon England, two policemen followed an unidentified flying cross for over twelve miles near to the Devon Border.
This was one of several instances of flying crosses in 1967 and preceded the next such case by only a few days.
Here is the article published in the The Times, Wales and Westcountry, on the next day, October 25, 1967, from Julian Mounter, about this sighting (underneath is a transcript for better readability):
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FROM JULIAN MOUNTER
BRISTOL OCT. 24
The North Devon "Thing" revealed itself to two police constables in the bitterly cold and damp twilight hours of this morning.
It "observed" them for about 50 minutes and played an elaborate game of catch me over the tree-tops, at a speed far in excess of Mrs. Castle's 70 m.p.h.
Its antics, say experts in spotting unidentified flying objects, have earned it a truly shining place in the records of strange sightings. They also earned it a place in Ministry of Defense files and in the "unsolved" books of Exeter police.
Constables Roger Willey and Clifford Waycott were on patrol near Holsworthy when they first saw it. "It looked like a star-spangled cross radiating points of light from all angles," said Constable Willey, who at times drove up to 90 m.p.h. trying to keep up.
He told a press conference: "it first appeared to the left of us, then it went in an arc, and dipped down, and we thought it had landed. It seemed to be watching us and wouldn't let us catch up. It was at various altitudes all the time, but mostly just above the trees."
"It has terrific accelerations. It seemed to know we were chasing it."
Constable Waycott said that once it seemed to stop in a field.
"When we got out to look, it started moving again. It was not an aeroplane or a helicopter, but it was as large as a conventional aircraft."
The nearest that they could get to the object was 400 yards. The merits of screeching around twisting roads at 4 a.m., the constables decided, might be disputed. Their fears were in no way allayed by remarks coming by radio from police headquarters. So they pulled up alongside a car parked in a layby and woke the driver, Mr. Christopher Garner, aged 29, of Lutton, who was on his way to a holiday in the area.
"They said they wanted confirmation of what they had seen" Mr. Garner said today. He was able to give it: he thought he was in the middle of a nightmare.
Before the "thing" disappeared into the distance, it was joined by a second object. This also was large, shaped like a cross, extremely bright, and noiseless.
Today the R.A.F. at Chivener denied that it could be anything to do with them. They knew of no aircraft that could fit the description - fly slower than 50 m.p.h. for extended periods, hover, and then reach supersonic speed.
"Things" must have been seen regularly all around the Severn estuary area for the past four years. Most sightings have come from Warminster where long cigar-shaped red glowing objects are seen. Bristol and Devizes people have also seen strange sights.
Tonight all patrol cars in Devon will be keeping a watch. A similar object was first seen in north Devon on October 5. Since then some experts have said Venus is to blame.
Seen over Norfolk. - Mrs Ursula Dominett, wife of the Rector of Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk, later claimed that she saw an object heading out to sea there.
