Lifeboat crew’s close encounter

Aug 3 2011 by Liam Murphy, Wallasey News

A WIRRAL lifeboat crew were left deflated after the excitement of a possible UFO rescue turned out to be less dramatic than hoped for.

The volunteers from New Brighton Lifeboat Station were called up by Liverpool Coastguard to investigate reports of a silver object seen falling from the sky into the sea.

The Atlantic 85 class inshore lifeboat Charles Dibdin was dispatched to investigate.

Cliff Downing, lifeboat operations manager, said: “Our volunteer crew were excited at the possibility of being the first RNLI unit to make contact with extra terrestrial life and launched the boat in record time.

“When they reached the scene, the object seemed to have several components to it like a huge silver jellyfish.

“Sadly, closer examination revealed a series of balloons tied together, presumably from a wedding or birthday celebration.”

We recovered the item as it would have been a hazard to shipping had it wrapped itself around a ship propeller.”