In the Chinese town of Yongan a mammoth UFO that was described by residents as dark and long was seen by shocked residents.

The sighting occurred at 8.45pm on March 14. The huge 'Mother ship' style craft was seen emerge from cloud cover and hover over the town. Dozens of residents scrambled into their homes to find cameras but returned to discover the craft had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

The UFO retreated back beyond the clouds leaving residents eagerly discussing what they had just seen. Local authorities were informed and UFO societies in the area are planning a full investigation.

The sighting received wide coverage in Chinese media outlets.