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| 'Meteor' sightings across Scotland prompt 999 calls | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A suspected meteorite shower over the UK prompted a flurry of 999 calls from worried members of the public across Scotland. | A suspected meteorite shower over the UK prompted a flurry of 999 calls from worried members of the public across Scotland. |
| Concerned callers from Airdrie to Arbroath likened the lights they saw in the sky to flares, fireworks and even a plane crash. | Concerned callers from Airdrie to Arbroath likened the lights they saw in the sky to flares, fireworks and even a plane crash. |
| The lights were seen as far north as Caithness and by islanders on Skye. | The lights were seen as far north as Caithness and by islanders on Skye. |
| Coastguard and police up and down the country were inundated with reports from around 23:00. | Coastguard and police up and down the country were inundated with reports from around 23:00. |
| Experts said the meteors could be space junk, possibly satellite debris, burning up on entry to the atmosphere. | Experts said the meteors could be space junk, possibly satellite debris, burning up on entry to the atmosphere. |
| Sightings were reported in parts of central Scotland including in Edinburgh and Glasgow. | Sightings were reported in parts of central Scotland including in Edinburgh and Glasgow. |
| Brian Guthrie in Grangemouth, near Falkirk, who watched the objects pass through the sky, told the BBC it appeared to be something "pretty large breaking up in the atmosphere". | Brian Guthrie in Grangemouth, near Falkirk, who watched the objects pass through the sky, told the BBC it appeared to be something "pretty large breaking up in the atmosphere". |
| "I've seen shooting stars and meteor showers before, but this was much larger and much more colourful." | "I've seen shooting stars and meteor showers before, but this was much larger and much more colourful." |
| John Davies from The Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, said: "The space around the earth is full of lots of small pieces of debris, tiny pieces of rock that have chipped off asteroids, dust that has fallen off comets and when these things burn up in the atmosphere we see them as shooting stars. | John Davies from The Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, said: "The space around the earth is full of lots of small pieces of debris, tiny pieces of rock that have chipped off asteroids, dust that has fallen off comets and when these things burn up in the atmosphere we see them as shooting stars. |
| "They happen all the time, a few every hour, but big ones are much rarer and this seems to have been a comparatively big piece. | "They happen all the time, a few every hour, but big ones are much rarer and this seems to have been a comparatively big piece. |
| "Obviously I don't know how big but I would guess maybe a metre by a metre, the size of a tea chest". | "Obviously I don't know how big but I would guess maybe a metre by a metre, the size of a tea chest". |
| Weirdest fireworks | Weirdest fireworks |
| Coastguards in the Shetland Islands received what they believe is Scotland's most northerly sighting of the meteor at 23:00 BST. | Coastguards in the Shetland Islands received what they believe is Scotland's most northerly sighting of the meteor at 23:00 BST. |
| A person rang them reporting a bright white light in the sky over the Stacks of Duncansby in Caithness. | A person rang them reporting a bright white light in the sky over the Stacks of Duncansby in Caithness. |
| A spokesman for Forth Coastguard said: "From talking to other stations and to the RAF it's almost certainly meteorite activity. | A spokesman for Forth Coastguard said: "From talking to other stations and to the RAF it's almost certainly meteorite activity. |
| "Calls came in from all over the place, thick and fast. We've had people report possible plane crashes, and others the weirdest fireworks they've ever seen. | "Calls came in from all over the place, thick and fast. We've had people report possible plane crashes, and others the weirdest fireworks they've ever seen. |
| "Folk just haven't known how to describe what they've seen. It's quite extraordinary." | "Folk just haven't known how to describe what they've seen. It's quite extraordinary." |
| The spokesman said reports had come from Crail, Johnshaven and Arbroath. | The spokesman said reports had come from Crail, Johnshaven and Arbroath. |
| Clyde Coastguard said it had received a "wee flurry" of calls reporting flares seen in Drummore, Airdrie and Brodick on Arran. | Clyde Coastguard said it had received a "wee flurry" of calls reporting flares seen in Drummore, Airdrie and Brodick on Arran. |
| A spokeswoman said: "When we get called from all over and at the same time then we attribute it to meteorites. | A spokeswoman said: "When we get called from all over and at the same time then we attribute it to meteorites. |
| "There was meteorite activity forecast from September 15 to 21." | "There was meteorite activity forecast from September 15 to 21." |