How/where to report distress signals?
This is possibly slightly off-topic for ATC issues, so be gentle.
Last night as I arrived home, I observed what looked very much like two red distress flares go up not too far from my house. They came from a direction where I know there is a private strip operating occasional fixed-wing and helicopter traffic.
I listened in on 121.5 but heard nothing - and then wondered what if anything should be done. There was, of course, a high probability that some neighbour had these flares "hey, they make great fireworks, and now we are all back from the pub lets let these two off" - but equally they may have had their intended, serious, meaning.
In the end I called Gatwick ATC (I'm about 5DME from the Mayfield VOR) to let them know where I'd seen them - but I'm wondering if there is a D&D contact which may have been more appropriate. I'm sure you good folks at Gatwick have enough to be doing without fielding calls from concerned members of the public...
I'm sure someone here will know the answer ... or I'll trigger a long and drawn-out debate!
Thanks,
Paul.