UFO sightings: Lancashire is one of the UK's hotspots for Unidentified Flying Object reports, data says - numerous 'visitors' spotted in Preston, Blackpool, Burnley and Lancaster

If you take the thousands of UFO sightings across the world every year into account, it’s hard to dismiss the notion that we are not alone.

Now, data from the National UFO Reporting Centre State Report Index, analysed by psychicworld.com, has shown that Lancashire is the fifth most popular UFO spot in the UK with an astonishing 77 recorded sightings in the area. There are likely hundreds if not thousands more sightings that haven’t been reported.

Experts analysed official sightings from across the UK and Europe, documenting the frequency of sightings, duration and what kind of UFO was seen.

Amongst the reports documented in Lancashire are a “fast moving formation of bright lights” observed for 10 minutes over Preston in 2002, “three lights in a triangular formation” – a sighting in Blackpool in 2003, “25 v-shaped objects flying in formation at low altitude” in the skies above Burnley in 2001 and a “bright, metallic spherical object chased by military aircraft” over Lancaster and observed for two minutes in 2003.

The data also reveals that England stands as Europe’s UFO hotspot, with 2678 sightings lasting an average of 13.32 minutes each.

London is the UK’s top UFO hotspot, with 256 reported UFO sightings.

Over the years, the Lancashire Post has published numerous articles of strange objects in the skies.

UFO sightings in Lancashire covered by lep.co.uk:

Did you see this 'UFO' in the sky over Preston last night?

Could this be aliens looking down on a Leyland man from their UFO?

UFOs over Avenham Park? Preston man tells of his close encounter

Lancashire man has 'proof' that aliens have visited Preston

UFO spotter claims to have photographed extra-terrestrial

Police probe Pendle Hill UFO report

With new technology revealing the possibility of alien life being discovered by 2050, plenty of us are coming to terms with the fact that we may not be alone in the universe.

Have you seen a UFO? Let us know - email [email protected].