Meteor lights up the sky

12:02pm Wednesday 7th February 2007

A meteor has been spotted falling to the Earth.

The shooting star was engulfed in bright flames as it shot towards the ground over Hangleton, Hove, at about 8.15pm yesterday.

At the time a rugby match was taking place at Waterhall and it looked as if the meteor would have landed close to the pitch.

Graham Pettit spotted the meteor as he waited for his wife outside Bishop Hannington Memorial Church, Nevill Avenue, Hove.

Mr Pettit, 55, of Denton Drive, Patcham, said: "I was standing outside. I thought it was a sky rocket at first. I have seen a lot of shooting stars over the years. It went straight across."

It is certainly not the first time meteors have been spotted over Sussex.

Astronomer Patrick Moore, who lives in Selsey, near Chichester, said meteors are not uncommon and are regularly seen at night.

He said: "Meteors often fall to Earth and can often be seen in quite large numbers as they enter the atmosphere.

"It is fairly unusual to see them that close to the ground but not unheard of."

The meteor was travelling northwards across the A27 bypass.

Brighton Rugby Club, which trains at Waterhall on Tuesday nights, said it knew nothing of the meteor.

Around 40 players were there, including a large number of youth players.

However third team coach Andy Rice said he did not see anything in the skies.

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