Ilkley Moor UFO incident facts for kids
On December 1, 1987, something strange was said to have happened on Ilkley Moor in England. A retired police officer claimed he was walking when he saw a UFO and was even taken aboard an alien ship! He said he was quickly returned to the moor. The man also took a picture that he believed showed one of the aliens who took him.
This photograph became a big news story in the UK. Some people thought it was strong proof that aliens had visited Earth. However, others said the picture was very blurry. People who doubt the story, called skeptics, believe the whole thing was a hoax. They think the photo might show something else, like a person or even a cardboard cut-out.
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What is Ilkley Moor?
Ilkley Moor is a large area of open land in West Yorkshire, England. It's located between the towns of Ilkley and Keighley. The moor is famous for being the inspiration for an old song called On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at. It's also known for its ancient carved rocks, like the Swastika Stone.
Many people have reported seeing UFOs on Ilkley Moor. Some skeptics think this might be because a military base, Menwith Hill, and a busy airport, Leeds Bradford Airport, are nearby.
The Man and His Walk
The man involved in this story was named Philip Spencer (this is not his real name, it's a made-up one to protect his privacy). He had recently moved from London to West Yorkshire with his family. He had just retired from being a police officer.
On the morning of December 1, 1987, Spencer decided to walk across Ilkley Moor. He was going to visit his father-in-law in a nearby town. He brought his camera with him and a compass, just in case it got foggy.
The Strange Event
Spencer said he was walking up a small hill when he saw a strange figure ahead of him. It was dark green and about four feet tall. It had a very large head and long, thin arms.
The creature made a gesture, which Spencer thought meant "stay away." But Spencer quickly took out his camera and snapped a picture of it. After the photo, the creature ran away. Spencer tried to follow it but lost sight of it in the fog.
The Flying Craft
Then, Spencer saw a ship rise from the moor. It made a loud humming sound and then disappeared into the sky. He described the ship as whitish. It looked like two saucer shapes joined together, one on top of the other. Spencer did not take a picture of the craft.
Instead of continuing his walk, Spencer went to another town about half an hour away. When he arrived, he realized that two hours had passed without him knowing it. Also, his compass was pointing in the wrong direction.
What Happened Next?
In the days after the strange event, Spencer contacted two people who study UFOs: Jenny Randles and Peter Hough. Hough said he was very doubtful at first but later believed Spencer's story. Spencer gave Hough the rights to his photograph. Even though the story became big news, Spencer wanted to keep his identity a secret. He didn't make any money from sharing his experience.
Hough visited the site where Spencer said the event happened. He also sent the photograph to several experts. A wildlife photographer looked at the picture and said the figure was not any known animal. Experts from the Kodak company checked the photo. They said they found no signs that the picture had been changed or faked. However, an expert in optics from the US Navy said the photo was "too grainy" to test properly.
According to a UFO researcher named Nick Redfern, Spencer felt bothered by the Ministry of Defence (a government department) a few days after the incident. Redfern claimed they opened a file on Spencer. He also said they sent two "Men in black" to Spencer's home to try and make him stay quiet.
Memory Under Hypnosis
While his photograph was being checked, Spencer said he started having strange dreams. Peter Hough suggested he try something called "regressive hypnotherapy." This is a special kind of hypnosis that helps people remember things they might have forgotten.
On March 16, 1988, Spencer had a hypnosis session. During this session, his memory of the incident changed. He now remembered more details.
Aboard the Craft
Under hypnosis, Spencer recalled that when he first saw the creature, he suddenly couldn't move. He was then lifted into the craft. Inside, a voice told him to stay calm. A group of green aliens then performed some kind of medical tests on him. They put things into his nose and mouth.
He was also given a tour of the ship and shown a film. The film showed scary images of the future, like nuclear explosions, terrible famines, and huge floods. Spencer was then shown a second film. He has never told anyone what was in the second film. He says the aliens who took him don't want humans to know its contents.
After this, Spencer was returned to Ilkley Moor. He then took the famous photograph. He now believed the alien was actually waving goodbye to him, not telling him to stay away, as he first thought.
The Ilkley Moor Legacy
The Ilkley Moor incident made big headlines in the UK. It remains one of the country's most famous UFO sightings. Nick Pope, a journalist who used to work for the Ministry of Defence's "UFO desk," included this event in his 2011 list of the "Top 10 UFO incidents in the UK." Many people still consider it one of the most convincing UFO stories ever.
However, skeptics still believe the whole incident was a hoax. They point out that the photograph is so blurry it can't prove aliens visited Earth. They argue that the "alien" in the picture could easily be a person or a cardboard cut-out. Skeptics also wonder why Spencer didn't take a picture of the UFO itself, as that would be harder to fake. They also dismiss the broken compass, saying it's easy to break a compass on purpose.
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