DAY-TRIPPERS and holiday-makers are being urged to watch for UFOs over the East Coast this summer - and try to capture them on videotape.

The stretch of coast from Whitby to Withernsea has seen a spate of bizarre sightings over recent months.

Filey-based UFO investigator Russ Kellett has now launched a competition for the best UFO footage.

He said: "Along with a number of fellow UFO enthusiasts, we believe the East Coast is arguably the number one UFO 'hot spot' in Britain at this present time."

Evidence of this, he said, is the "huge" amount of UFO footage which he, and others, have recorded of anomalous aerial objects.

He is now hoping that residents, holiday-makers and day-trippers who happen to videotape something similar will get in touch.

Their footage will be entered in a competition, which is running until August 7.

The unusual contest is being supported by Yorkshire-based UFO Magazine, which carries a five-page feature on the East Coast sightings in this month's edition.

Editor Graham Birdsall, said: "We feel sure the competition will generate considerable interest. Given that many thousands of visitors to the region will be bringing their camcorders along with them, there is every chance someone may get to film something out of the ordinary."

The competition winner will get to spend three nights in the Queens Hotel, Leeds, which is hosting the 22nd Leeds International UFO Conference between September 26 and 28, and attend the Grand Gala Dinner and 2003 UFO Magazine Awards.

If you think you have captured a UFO on videotape and wish to enter your clip in the competition, phone Russell Kellett on 07901 597743.

Send your video to UFO Investigations & Research,

PO BOX 33, FILEY, Y014 9YE.

The 'flying breadstick' and other sightings...

One of the sightings featured in UFO Magazine was by Paul Sinclair, 40, a joiner from Bridlington.

At 4.10pm on January 3, this year, he was travelling in a van at Sledmere, near Bridlington, when he saw an elongated object in the sky which looked like a breadstick.

He said: "It was absolutely amazing. We stopped the van to get out and watch. It looked like a glowing breadstick, white and pulsing over a field.

"We both looked at it and kept asking each other what it might be, but we hadn't a clue.

"It didn't fly away, but just disappeared in front of our eyes."

Other recent sightings on the East Coast include:

- January 23 - a witness saw a streak of light with flames near her home in Bridlington. Three hours later, an object emitting flames was seen over the resort.

- January 28 - A witness reported seeing a triangular-shaped object with white lights in each corner over the coast

- February 3 - two bright balls of light were seen heading west near Fylingthorpe, Whitby.

- February 4 - a witness saw a bright ball of light in the sky from the window of his home in Filey.

- March 23 - three orange balls of light seen over Scarborough.

Updated: 09:47 Saturday, May 03, 2003