A mystery rock which might have crossed outer space has landed in the garden of an Essex home.

Close encounter - Peter Healey examines the mystery rock, believed to be a meteorite, which landed in his graden during a storm. Picture: ROB SAMBROOK

The small black rock, speckled with silver, was discovered in the garden following the heavy storms last week.

Peter Healey said he heard a loud bang during the storms last Tuesday.

He said: "I heard the loudest bang I have ever heard in my life. The bang was terrific. I heard something hit the roof. I went out and found a dark stone, heavier than coal, with tiny bits of silver."

The rock has a triangular shape and, as well as the specks of silver, it has a line going through it.

Mr Healey, who lives with his wife Joan in Bull Lane, Tiptree, now wants an expert or a museum to take a look at the rock to see what it is.

He said: "It is different to a stone, and someone from a laboratory could find out a lot from it."

Meteors are usually pieces of asteroids which orbit the sun between Mars and Jupiter.

Published Tuesday August 24, 2004

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