UFOs 'spotted near Parliament and Stonehenge'

UFOs were spotted near several major UK landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament, Stonehenge and Blackpool Pier, according to files released today.

The files, released by the National Archives, include sightings reported to the MoD's UFO Desk between 2007 and 2009, when it was closed.

The sightings, which saw a surge in 2009, came from across the British Isles, and even further afield, including the Canary Islands.

One person reported seeing a UFO over the Houses of Parliament in London, leaving a message on the UFO hotline's answerphone.

The report, from February 12, 2008, described "green, red and white lights", static in the sky and quite far in the distance, seen for about an hour and a half.

The report said the person "said there were many aircraft passing the UFO, but it stayed static in the air. He said that he had seen it on Sunday, February 10, 2008 too".

Another sighting described "discoid" shapes noticed in photographs of Stonehenge.