Strange pillar of light linked to Chinese rocket test flight

A glowing streak spotted in the sky on Thursday morning was most likely caused by a Chinese rocket, experts say.

Witnesses reported a bright, linear trail visible around dawn and dusk from several locations.

Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in the US, said: “It was definitely the Chinese Zhuque-3 rocket making its first test flight.

“It passed over the UK and northern Europe at around 05:00 GMT at the end of its first orbit, following launch from China at 04:02 GMT. Chinese upper stages have been previously observed to make long, linear propellant-dump trails.”