ALF'S CLOSE ENCOUNTER

By Debbie Collins
Aldershot News, Hants, England


Pensioner Alfred Burtoo's close encounter with little green men while he was angling on the canal bank at Aldershot is no fisherman's tale.

That is the opinion of UFO experts who are convinced that his amazing story is "absolutely true."

Not only did the beings from outer space speak to 77-year old Mr. Burtoo, of Pegasus Avenue, Aldershot, but he claims they also took him aboard their flying saucer.

After a thorough investigation of the alleged happening, Mr. Omar Fowler, of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena, said "I have been investigating UFO sightings for years, and this is the most sensational thing that has ever happened."

Mr. Burtoo, accompanied by his dog Tiny, was fishing in the Basingstoke Canal, near the Government Road bridge, when he says, the flying saucer landed.

"I saw a bright light coming towards me over North Town and it hovered just over the railway line.

"It then settled down on the bank. I went to have a look and two forms came towards me dressed in pale green suits. They were about 4 ft tall and had dark visors covering their faces.

One of them beckoned me, and I followed them to the steps. I wasn't afraid - I was more curious than anything."

Mr. Burtoo went on: "The object was made of a kind of burnished aluminum an I climbed some steps and went inside.

"I walked across the room and one of them spoke to me in a kind of sing-song voice, with an accent something between Russian and Chinese.

"He asked me to stand under the amber light. I could not see it at first because there was a kind of black tube blocking my view. Then I saw it and went and did as I was told.

"After a few moments they asked me to turn round, which I did. They asked me how old I was and I said 78 next birthday. Then they said I could go because I was too old and infirm for their purpose."

Mr. Burtoo says he then left the spaceship, and was halfway along the towpath when it took off. It went over the military cemetery and then off towards Tongham.

Mr. Burtoo's "close encounter" happened at about 1:15 a.m. on August 12. He told his wife and son and a neighbor about it the next day but did not report it officially because he did not think people would believe him.

"It was not until last week when an American Air Force officer revealed he had seen UFOs in Norfolk I decided to speak out. I am now inclined to think that lots of people have seen these things but don't report them because they do not want to be made fools of. "I did not believe in flying saucers until this happened to me."