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Blue balls theories rage after Dorset storm mystery | Blue balls theories rage after Dorset storm mystery |
(40 minutes later) | |
A number of theories have been put forward to explain the presence of blue jelly spheres found in a Dorset garden. | A number of theories have been put forward to explain the presence of blue jelly spheres found in a Dorset garden. |
Steve Hornsby from Bournemouth reported the 3cm diameter balls came raining down last Thursday during a hailstorm. | |
Theories include the balls being crystals used in floral displays or ammunition for a toy gun. | |
But Mr Hornsby remains unconvinced and believes they were formed in the atmosphere. Bournemouth University is to analyse the balls. | |
He found about 20 balls made of a jelly-like substance which the Met Office has said was "not meteorological". | He found about 20 balls made of a jelly-like substance which the Met Office has said was "not meteorological". |
A number of people who contacted the BBC after the story was published on Friday believed the balls were sodium polyacrylate crystals. | |
'Mightily convincing' | 'Mightily convincing' |
They can absorb hundreds of times their mass in water and are used in floral displays. | |
Mel Smith, from Ena's Florists in Bournemouth, said the balls look extremely similar to the type she uses and have the consistence of firm jelly when broken into. | |
She added: "We buy them dehydrated and then soak them in water for about six hours and they hydrate to balls up to 3cm (about 1in) or so in diameter." | She added: "We buy them dehydrated and then soak them in water for about six hours and they hydrate to balls up to 3cm (about 1in) or so in diameter." |
Josie Pegg, an applied science research assistant at Bournemouth University, agreed that the water-absorbing crystal theory was "mightily convincing". | |
But Mr Hornsby said he does not use the crystals and queried whether the short storm was strong enough to blow them into his garden. | But Mr Hornsby said he does not use the crystals and queried whether the short storm was strong enough to blow them into his garden. |
Another idea was that they could be ammunition used in a range of toy guns. | Another idea was that they could be ammunition used in a range of toy guns. |
'Deep craters' | |
Mr Hornsby said there were a number of children living in the area but said his hedge was fairly high, making firing the spheres into his garden tricky. | |
He also said a number of the balls had made deep craters which he believed could have only been caused if they had fallen from a great height. | He also said a number of the balls had made deep craters which he believed could have only been caused if they had fallen from a great height. |
The manufacturer of the Xploderz toy gun range agreed with Mr Hornsby and said the balls were "definitely not" from its product. | |
A spokesman for Character Options said: "Our ammunition is completely spherical and at a maximum is 1cm big - these look too big." | |
Mr Hornsby, a former aircraft engineer, said: "My wife is in the garden all day and didn't see them before so I am convinced it came with the hailstorm. | |
"We don't use anything like the crystals in our garden and I think it would be difficult for kids to shoot over our hedge. | "We don't use anything like the crystals in our garden and I think it would be difficult for kids to shoot over our hedge. |
"I think it is some kind of atmospheric pollution. Pollution forms into spheres and fell like the hailstones." | "I think it is some kind of atmospheric pollution. Pollution forms into spheres and fell like the hailstones." |
Mr Hornsby, who is keeping the balls in his fridge, has accepted an offer from Bournemouth University to analysis the substance. | Mr Hornsby, who is keeping the balls in his fridge, has accepted an offer from Bournemouth University to analysis the substance. |
Do you have a theory to explain the appearance of the blue balls? You can get in touch using the form below: | Do you have a theory to explain the appearance of the blue balls? You can get in touch using the form below: |