BAFFLED walkers watched in amazement as an unidentified flying object in the shape of a jellyfish rose above Weymouth Bay.

The four people were outside the Prince Regent Hotel on the Esplanade when they saw an unusual orange light appear in the sky.

Linda Brabrook, 59, said: "We were standing at about 9.45pm just looking out as you do when all of a sudden, over the bay on the right hand side between Alexandra Gardens and the bay, we saw an orange ball of light.

"At first we thought it was a firework.

"It had a straggling tail like a jellyfish and we watched as it slowly rose and we followed it as far as the eye can see.

"It veered left towards Bowleaze Coveway and disappeared into the outline of a triangle."

She added: "It lasted about 10 minutes and was more transparent than solid. Whether it rose out of the sea or the beach I don't have a clue. I was with my husband Victor and my brother Philip and his wife Jean and we all saw it.

"None of us had touched a drop of alcohol - I don't drink. My husband didn't believe in things like that but he does now."

The group were staying in the town over New Year when they spotted the mysterious X-Files-style object.

Mrs Brabrook's sister-in-law Jean Palmer added that other passers-by on the night had also stopped to watch the baffling sight and they wanted to know if anyone else knew what it could be.

She said: "I just wish I had had my phone with me so I could have photographed or filmed it.

"Unfortunately I had left it in my room at the Prince Regent.

"I've seen strange sights before but never anything like this."

Portland Coastguard watch assistant Simon Palmer said nothing had been reported to them about unusual lights in the sky and there had been no emergency flares set off that he knew about.

He said: "Occasionally you get a high intensity of flying meteorites - shooting stars - so perhaps it was that. Otherwise I couldn't say."