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Uxbridge 'meteorite' claims prove to be unfounded
A PIECE of rock from a galaxy far far away has proved rather unexciting after all, with a quite plane explanation.
Scientists from around the world, and even Sir Patrick Moore, took notice after the incredible news that a meteorite landed at Uxbridge Cricket Club, in Gatting Way, Uxbridge.
Two fans from Sussex, who were playing Middlesex last Saturday, told of their delight and excitement after a mystery rock 'fell from the sky' splitting in two on impact.
After sending the small rock off for tests with leading scientists, it has emerged that the 'meteorite' was none other than a piece of debris picked up by an overflying aeroplane, as the Gazette hinted last week.
Mike Ash, who works at Uxbridge Cricket Club, said: "We knew it was too good to be true.
"It did put us on the map for a short while though at least, 15 seconds of fame, we even had somebody from Melbourne, Australia, phone us up to ask about it."
Dave Harris of the British and Irish Meteorite Society revealed the rock did not appear to have fallen from space.
He said: "I'm afraid it's nothing more than a piece of Portland cement with flecks of brick dust and flint in it.
"It is most probably something that fell off the undercarriage of a plane. It was not like a meteorite at all."
The odds on a meteorite striking earth were cited as being one in a billion.
A second scientist, Professor Colin Pillinger, examined the rock, and came to the same conclusion, leaving Brighton pair Jan Marszal and Richard Haynes hit for six, for the second time in a week.
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LET ME GUESS - THEY TOLD YOU IT WAS NOT A METEORITE AND THEN PROMISED TO DISPOSE OF IT FOR YOU. IF THIS WAS MAGNETIC AND CONTAINED ELEMENTS OF IRON THEN BY ALL OF THE INDUSTRIES STANDARDS THIS IS A METEORITE. IF SO THEN IT IS A VIEWED FIND AND WORTH ALOT MORE MONEY. DON'T BE TAKEN. CONTACT THE KANSAS METEORITE ASSOCIATION AND HAVE THEM TEST IT FOR YOU.