Regular readers of this blog will know I am fond of posting 'It could only happen in Wales' stories. Such as the man who reckoned he saw an alligator in Swansea near Tescos, or the man whose wife burned his kilt. Today I spotted another little gem in the Daily Mail.
Basically, someone dials 999 and...
Control Room: Hiya Butt, wassa marra then?'South Wales Police, what's your emergency?'
Caller: 'It's not really. I just need to inform you that across the mountain there's a bright stationary object.'
Control room: 'Right.'
Caller: 'If you've got a couple of minutes, perhaps you could find out what it is? It's been there at least half an hour and it's still there.'
Control: 'It's been there for half an hour. Right. Is it actually on the mountain or in the sky?'
Caller: 'It's in the air.' Ever so high
Control: 'I will send someone up there now to check it out.' (I have never ever met anyone who was promised an immediate response. Instead if the caller was lucky, he might have heard 'Probably nothing, mate. Tell you what, when we've finished picking up drunks we'll call by and have a look at it.')
Caller: 'OK.'
The mystery was soon solved, as the exchange between control and an officer sent to the scene makes clear.
Control: 'Alpha Zulu 20, this object in the sky, did anyone have a look at it?'
Officer: 'Yes, it's the Moon. Over.'
This isn't as mad as it sounds. Shortly after the London Ungerground attacks of the 7th July, the police, the fire brigade and who knows who else all packed into my little road which peters out into the mountainside. It went on for hours and all the neighbours were out (including Yours Truly, of course).
Apparently (I kid you not) someone reckoned an airoplane/UFO/Saddam Hussein had landed on the mountain.
..in court the lawyer asked .."is your eyesight good officer".."yes" says the officer..."what was the fathest thing you could see that night then".."The moon your honour"
2008-07-05 @ 09:04