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South Devon - Spooky lights spotted over Teignmouth have freaked out some locals.

There were dozens of reports about the strange, whitish-coloured shapes moving up and down the estuary early on Monday evening. Was it extra terrestrials, or did the objects in the sky have a simpler, down-to-earth explanation such as lasers?

So far it remains a mystery, but one woman who witnessed the display from her window high up on a hill, told the Herald Express: "It was beautiful, and a little scary at the same time.

"The white lights changed shapes, moved very fast and would suddenly disappear, only to return a few minutes later.

"I don't believe in UFOs or flying saucers, but this was very strange, and made me feel a little bit uneasy.

"I am sure there is a perfectly logical reason behind it, and I hope somebody will be able to explain it all."

Well-known Teignmouth councillor Fred Tooley was among the many residents who witnessed the display between about 6pm and 7pm.

He said: "There were patterns of white lights, like blobs, but changing shape, that swept up and down the river between the Ness and Shaldon Bridge.

"I was mesmerised, and lots of other people have told me they saw it all as well.

"I don't think the shapes were that high in the sky, and they appeared to be bouncing off low cloud over the estuary.

"To me it resembled the flocks of starlings that swoop around in huge numbers, making patterns at roosting time.

"But this was definitely not birds, and it was really weird. Your imagination does run riot when you see something like this, and I hope your readers can tell me what it was.

"Hopefully it wasn't the prelude to an invasion of Teignmouth by ETs," Cllr Tooley quipped.

The weird apparitions were also sighted over Stokeinteignhead, and one theory is that they may have been created by the reflections of a laser display in the Torquay area. But nobody really knows.

Neither the police or coastguards had any reports of strange lights over the resort.