The truth is now out there after reports of flying saucers and cross-shaped UFOs across Sussex have been released.

The files, published by the National Archives, are the last of their kind after the MoD closed its UFO desk, which it could no longer justify on defence grounds.

One UFO sighting in 2007 described a stationary object in the sky that looked like the shape of a “diagonal cross on a Scottish flag”.

Another report by a Metropolitan police officers told of an oval-shaped aircraft accelerating at a “colossal speed” above Gatwick Airport in 2009.

The officer, who was driving on the M23 towards the airport, wrote to the MoD: “I was glancing at the sky to try to get a view of flights inbound to Gatwick and it was at this point I saw a flash and bright light in the sky which I thought was a plane or helicopter.

Vanished “I continued to watch the sky not thinking anything unusual and then this oval-shaped object accelerated at a colossal speed, faster than any aircraft I have ever seen, including fighter jets.

“This unusual-shaped aerial vehicle, after accelerating, just vanished out of view.”

The MoD wrote back to the officer saying it only examined reports if there was a possible defence risk or a compromise of airspace.

The department said unless there was a threat it do not attempt to identify each sighting.

Another UFO sighting in 2007 described a stationary object in the sky that looked like the shape of a “diagonal cross on a Scottish flag”.

The observer spotted the strange sight above the railway line near Haywards Heath station.

The MoD notes suggested someone should call the man with an explanation – but none was given in the documents.

The strange sightings follow an official report which found two UFOs narrowly avoided colliding with planes above East Grinstead in December 2012. The unexplained near misses were revealed in a report by the Airprox Board, which monitors air safety.

Two flat silver discs, which also appeared on radar, were reported to be stationary, or very slow moving, about 100 feet below the flightpath.

But the pilots who saw the objects described them as “toy like” and the risk to the planes was assessed as low.

Dozens of reports of bright lights in the skies and flaming orbs were made to the Argus in 2009.

But the spotters were divided into those who thought the UFO spots were proof of alien life, and others who thought they were Chinese lanterns.