Sightings of orange lights drifting across the sky yesterday resulted in calls to Bermuda Maritime Operations from the area of Southampton.

The service alerted vessels to keep a lookout and Police were asked to send a patrol to make sure no one was in distress.

The lights were then determined to be the festive firelit paper lanterns, known as Chinese Lanterns.

Maritime Operations advised that both they and the Police welcome advance notice from people launching the lanterns with a view to preventing false alarms.