Tameside residents were left baffled on Monday morning (February 26) after bright ‘flashing’ lights were seen illuminating the sky.
Videos and pictures shared across social media showed the sky lighting up at around 6.30am on Monday, with those living nearby confused by what had caused it.
There was some speculation it was ‘flash lightning’ with others suggesting it was the Northern Lights. One person even joked they thought it was a UFO flying over the borough.
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The Manchester Evening News can now reveal that the flashing light was coming from the National Grid substation on Printworks Road, in Stalybridge. Equipment failure had caused some flashes of light, with the fire service called out as a precaution.
Videos shared with the M.E.N show quick flashes of light in the sky. Others, taken with a view of the substation, show a beaming blue circle of light that was accompanied by an ‘intense noise’.
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One person posted in a local social media group: “Has anyone else just noticed the weird flashing across the sky? Looked like flash lightning towards Ashton Way, but no thunder or rain?”
Another person wrote: “Something going on at Stalybridge power station!! There’s a distinctive hum.”
Locals were quick to respond with their theories, as one person posted: “I saw the clouds! [It was] so odd I actually stopped in my car to look.”
Another added: “That was unbelievable. I live right in front of Printworks Road. The noise of it arking and the blue glow was so intense… now I know what a fly feels like in a electric fly trap. I thought it was going to explode.”
“It woke me up on day off lol, I live in Heyrod and got blinds shut and it was lighting my room up,” wrote a third as another person commented: “That was the brightest glowing light!”
A National Grid spokesperson said: “Equipment failure at our Stalybridge substation caused some flashes of light early on Monday morning. No one was injured and electricity supplies were not affected. The fire brigade attended the site as a precautionary measure.”
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