Strange bright lights in the Horsham night sky dazzled onlookers and sparked extraterrestrial conspiracies in the early hours of Saturday morning (July 5).

But the fleet of twinkling air crafts turned out to be a flock of Chinese lanterns released by teenagers at Christ's Hospital School's leavers' party.

Lorry driver Steve Hayles was amongst the Horsham district residents bewildered by the floating burning balls.

The lanterns caught the Royal Mail HGV driver's eye while he was driving round Broadbridge Heath roundabout on his way home from a night shift at 1am: "I had to drive round the roundabout twice in my lorry because I just couldn't work out what they were," he said.

The Broadbridge Heath dad of two thought the slow moving unidentified objects were helicopters but his curiosity was pricked when he noticed they had no navigation lights.

See also 'UFO was like a ball of flames'.

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