Staffordshire locals have been asked to check 'lawns and footpaths' for meteor fragments after fireball event
Staffordshire residents have been asked to keep a look out for 'dark shiny rocks' after a suspected otherworldly event took place in the area.
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Locals were asked to keep their eyes open for the rocks due to a suspected meteor that fell in the county earlier this month, on May 6.
According to the UK Fireball Alliance, a bright fireball that shot across the sky could have dropped meteorite somewhere around Blythe Bridge and Uttoxeter.
Researchers from several universities up and down the country have already searched the area suggested, but are yet to make a discovery.
However, locals could still stumble across the foreign object while going about their daily tasks and have been warned not to pick any found objects up with their bare hands.
The fireball firm have said that 500g of the space-rocks could have landed south-east of Stoke-on-Trent, and could be between 5 and 10cm in length, while sporting a black or brown colour and a potentially glassy shell.
Speaking on the search, Dr Ashley King said that he 'hoped' someone who lives or works in the area may stumble across it, but reminded people to be respectful while on the hunt for it and not to go anywhere they 'shouldn't'.
He said: "The meteorite won’t be hot and is safe to handle although, if possible, please don’t pick it up with bare hands as that will contaminate the rock.
"It’s probably a glossy black or brown colour or may have a glassy outer surface and may be in a place where rocks aren’t usually found, such as on a lawn or footpath. We don’t want anyone taking risks looking for it or going into areas where you shouldn’t. But if you do find something out-of-place, we’ll definitely be interested to check it out.”
Based in Cresswell - a village in the middle of the search area - chairman of The Greenhouse People, Richard Baggaley, said scientists asked to search the grounds of his land days after the meteor strike and revealed his relief that the rock didn't smash into his greenhouse firm - Greenhouse People
Dr Luke Daly from UKFAll, added: “Meteorites are rocks that naturally arrive on Earth from space and can be studied to understand how planets and the Solar System formed.
"Our cameras tracked the fireball as one of these rocks entered the atmosphere at 4 am last Monday morning, and we estimate that maybe 500g of meteorite landed near Stoke-on-Trent.
"If you’re in the local area and have found any dark looking rocks in the last week, we want to hear from you!”
Anyone who suspects they have found the meteorite has been given guidance to contact UKFAll or the Natural History Museum.
It has been suggested by UKFAll that hunters looking for it should avoid touching it with their bare hands 'to avoid contamination' and should instead use aluminium foil or a sandwich bag.
