A DEBATE has started about what could be behind the strange lights seen over Bexley on Friday night.

There has been a huge response to News Shopper's story about reported sighting of slow-moving orange lights spotted at around 9.30pm.

People living in the Sidcup and Bexleyheath area claim the lights were following each other in formation.

Dozens of people have shared their experiences of being left baffled by the strange sight following our story on Saturday.

News Shopper asked readers to come up with a theory about what could be behind the strange sightings.

According to readers, the most likely culprit is a type of flying lanterns, a small balloon-like device powered by a candle.

However, many readers have not accepted this as an explanation.

They believe what they saw was so strange it cannot be passed off as a floating balloon.

Descriptions of the amounts of lights seen differ from several to at least a hundred.

One reader, by e-mail, said: "I live in the Sidcup area and tonight we saw at least a hundred orange lights floating across the sky, following each other in formation."

Lorraine Mooney, also by e-mail, said: "Both my sister and two nieces in the Bexleyheath area called me last night to tell me they had both indepently seen several strange orange coloured objects in the sky.

"They seemed to be in formation, were solid and bordered by orange lights, similar to street light orange.

"They moved slowly, not darting, and disappeared as if behind cloud, but there was no cloud cover in the sky, and then reappeared."

Paul Maingard contacted News Shopper to say: "Usually the first to dismiss such stories, I have found this oddity has actually managed to really shake some witnesses up as it was so strange."

Do you have a theory for the claims? Add your comments below.

And if you have any more pictures or videos of the strange lights, click here to send them to us.