Mystery surrounds a series of lights that were seen moving across the sky in the Dereham area.

Aerial photographer Derek Edwards and two of his neighbours spotted them near their homes in Breton Close, Toftwood, on Sunday at about 7.30pm.

Mr Edwards said he had never seen any lights quite like them in the 27 years he worked as an aerial photographer.

But air traffic control at Norwich International Airport, UEA-based forecasters WeatherQuest, and RAF Marham could not offer any explanation about the lights.

"This was very strange phenomena. I thought at first it might have been helicopters but I have no theories at all about what it was," said Mr Edwards.

"There were four lights in a straight line moving from Watton towards Dereham. They were about 1,400 or 1,500ft up. Each of them was about a quarter of a mile apart, and then some more lights appeared. They were travelling at about 100 or 125 knots.

"They were not the usual type of lights you would expect to see.

"There were no navigation lights."

Fred Mason, who was the first person to see the lights, said: "I saw these orange lights, about five or six, not making a sound, and then another four or five lights came along, and then they disappeared into the cloud. They weren't flashing lights."

Rodney Green said: "It was strange but I really haven't a clue what they were. It was strange that they were all at exactly the same height."

Russell Finney, from Boyd Avenue, in Toftwood, also saw the lights.

He said: "They were like nothing I had ever seen before. There were about 12 big yellow globules with white around them. There was not any noise at all. They then turned a 45 degree angle and went straight up in the sky and disappeared."

Norwich International Airport said there was no aircraft travelling to or from the airport in the Dereham area at that time. RAF Marham said there was no aircraft from the base flying over Dereham on Sunday evening, and WeatherQuest said it had nothing to do with the lights either.

# Do you know what the lights were? If so, call reporter Emma Knights on 01362 854703 or email emma.knights@archant.co.uk