UFO. United Kingdom

Megan Taylor claimed to have captured the moment a UFO was 'falling from the sky' during the storm that struck Bridgewater in Somerset.

UFO, bird - or just a smudge on the camera? Footage of a black object falling from a rainbow baffles locals and has War of the Worlds fans excited
Megan Taylor was filming a storm over Bridgwater, Somerset at the weekend 
She captured strange footage of a unidentified black object falling from the sky
The video is remarkably similar to a scene from the 2005 film War of the Worlds 
Aliens are recorded in it plunging to earth in dark pods during lightning storms

A falling UFO eerily reminiscent of a scene from an iconic movie has been captured on camera.

Strange footage has revealed what appears to be a large black object plunging into the Earth from the middle of a rainbow.

While it's not exactly clear what the object is, a number of explanations have been suggested - including a smudge on a camera or a bird. 

One viewer wrote: 'It's a bird'. Another said: 'That would be a huge bird. There'll be an Earthly, sane, explanation. But it's way, way, too big to be a bird.'

The video is remarkably similar to a scene from the 2005 film War of the Worlds directed by Steven Spielberg.

In it aliens are recorded falling to Earth in dark pods during lightning storms, before activating giant war machines buried beneath the ground. 

Local resident Megan Taylor was filming a storm over Bridgwater, Somerset at the weekend after dramatic storms hit the historic market town.

Ms Taylor caught dramatic footage of lightning in the skies above the area.

But what she didn't bank on was capturing something else too - a black object is seen falling from the sky just after a lightning strike. 

Ms Taylor says she was left puzzled by the what she saw.

'I've never seen a storm quite like it,' she added 'and I've definitely never seen something falling to Earth like that either. I have no idea what it was.'

Speaking to MailOnline, Nigel Watson, author the Haynes UFO Investigation Manual, said: 'The video does make it look like this is something solid falling from the sky, like one of the Martian cylinders in The War of the Worlds. 

'Yet, it somehow looks artificial in its descent. Such an apparently big object would have made a big impact on landing but nothing of this nature has been reported. 

'I would say it is something mundane rather than the start of a Martian invasion.'

A number of readers of the Bridgwater Mercury, which broke the news, have commented on the unusual apparition in the skies above their town. 

Rick1973 said: 'It's a bird.'

Xuri was unconvinced, adding: 'That would be a huge bird. There'll be an Earthly, sane, explanation. But it's way, way, too big to be a bird.' 

Kevthefire suggested: 'It's a spec of dirt running down the camera!'

Alex@SDA said: 'Blue Ice!'

This refers to frozen sewage material that can leak mid-flight from commercial aircraft lavatory waste systems, and has reportedly torn holes in buildings below which it has impacted over the years.