A UFO sceptic says he's changed his mind after seeing bright lights in the sky over Jaywick.

John Tarrier was speechless after spotting three unidentified flying objects in the sky on Wednesday night.

The retired plasterer was at home in Meadow Way when he noticed the strange objects just after 10pm.

"They were like a V-shape," said Mr Tarrier.

"It was unbelievable. They stopped dead still and then started moving again and went towards St Osyth.

"I watched them until they were little dots in the sky."

He says the UFOs were amber coloured - "like a lightbulb".

"Their lights weren't going on and off like a plane's do - they were pulsating," said Mr Tarrier.

"I'm 60 and I've never seen anything like it before in my life.

"I don't drink or smoke and the sky was as clear as a bell."

The craze for Chinese lanterns at parties has sparked an increase in "sightings" as they float into the nightsky.

But Mr Tarrier is convinced his UFOs have a more out-of-this-world explanation.

"They definitely weren't planes or anything like that," he said.

"I just wondered if other people saw anything.

"I'm still a bit shaky about it. I couldn't sleep because I was thinking about it all night."

"I didn't believe in UFOs before but I do now!"

Police said no other sightings had been reported at around the same time.