The British Ministry of Defense released documents dating to the 1950s containing reports of a "blinding white ball with a tail" and other claims as part of a Freedom of Information request by UFO enthusiasts, The Independent said.

The Defense Ministry concluded in 1979 that "Her Majesty's Government has never been approached by people from outer space."

The papers do indicate, however, that authorities launched official investigations into each sighting reported through the 1980s.