Mysterious 'Rocket-man' spotted over village

Feb 19 2009

Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

No, our readers are sure it was a man, flying without wings across the skies over Gentleshaw Common.

Five locals witnessed the figure travelling, seemingly unaided, over houses at around 11am on Sunday, February 8. One described it as a ‘Superman’ moment - a clear case of ‘to Chadsmoor and beyond.’

But eagle-eyed Boney Hay villager Clive Wright believes those who reckon they witnessed something supernatural are talking a load of kryptonite. The 68-year-old, who spotted the flying man from the living room window of his Sunnymead Road home, believes the pilot was travelling with the aid of a jet pack - a strap-on engine made famous in the 1965 James Bond movie, Thunderball.

Clive’s wife, Janet, 68, and 14-year-old grandson Nicholas also witnessed the Chase’s own rocket man.

Clive said: “To say it was strange would be an understatement. And the ‘bottle’ didn’t come into it because none of us drink.

“At first I was watching quite a number of seagulls and noticed