St. Helens secured its lasting place in UFO history this week - via its own official entry in a mysterious X-Files style database.

Detective Constable Gary Heseltine, founder of the unique PRUFOS (Police Reporting UFO Sightings) records system, highlighted the almost-forgotten incident in the skies above the town as one of major " Defence Significance."

And - despite its initial logging on police files 25 years ago - Gary insisted that there was STILL NO convincing logical explanation for what happened above Bold Power Station in January 1978.

Then onlookers watched in disbelief as a shining light buzzed the installation, and appeared to dart down to take a closer look. But none were quite as astonished as two patrolling police officers who immediately logged in the spectacular sighting with disbelieving colleagues in the radio room.

DC Heseltine - a serving CID officer with British Transport Police in the South of England - explained last night: " The Ministry Of Defence still maintains that there has never been a case of Defence Significance. As a police officer, I find that position untenable and here is why.

" Having served in the Armed Forces I know that in the event of war in this country, all types of installation throughout Britain have been categorised for importance and vulnerability. For example oil fields, power stations, military installations are all key enemy targets which if hit would affect the infrastructure of Britain. "

And he added later: " It follows that any attempt to survey or interfere with these types of installations would by definition have to be of 'Defence Significance.'"… ...