THE ABDUCTION FILES • CASE #002

Burnley Road, Todmorden, West Yorkshire

28 November 1980 • Approximately 5:00 a.m.

The British police officer who claimed he lost time after encountering a hovering UFO.

Introduction

Just before dawn on 28 November 1980, Police Constable Alan Godfrey was finishing the last patrol of his night shift in the Pennine town of Todmorden.

He wasn’t looking for UFOs.

He was searching for a herd of escaped cows reported wandering near Burnley Road.

Minutes later, Godfrey would claim he encountered a large hovering object blocking the road, experienced a brilliant flash of light, and found himself further along the road with around 15–30 minutes of missing time.

What followed transformed an ordinary police officer into one of Britain’s most famous UFO witnesses.

Unlike many alleged abduction stories, this case involves:

• An on-duty police officer.
• An official police report.
• Multiple independent reports of unusual lights that same morning.
• Physical anomalies found at the scene.
• A psychological examination declaring Godfrey mentally fit.
• Later hypnosis that introduced a far stranger version of events.Calderdale Companion+2

More than forty-five years later, the Todmorden Incident remains one of the UK’s most debated UFO encounters.

The Case at a Glance

Date	28 November 1980
Time	Approx 5 – 5.20am
Location	Burnley Road, Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England
Witness	Police Constable Alan Godfrey
Occupation	Serving West Yorkshire Police Officer
Claim	Encountered a hovering diamond-shaped UFO and experienced missing time.
Later Claim	Hypnosis suggested an alleged alien abduction aboard the craft.
Status	Officially unexplained.

Who Was Alan Godfrey?

Alan Godfrey was very different from the stereotypical UFO witness.

He was:

• A serving police constable with West Yorkshire Police.
• Well respected by colleagues.
• Known for being practical and straightforward.
• On duty at the time of the incident.

He had no reputation for making extraordinary claims before November 1980.

That gave the story immediate credibility in the eyes of many investigators.

Todmorden in 1980 — Britain’s “UFO Alley”

Todmorden sits in the Pennines between Lancashire and Yorkshire.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, researchers recorded an unusually high number of UFO reports across:

• Todmorden.
• Hebden Bridge.
• Halifax.
• Littleborough.
• The Calder Valley.

Ufologists later nicknamed the region “UFO Alley.” Jenny Randles investigated dozens of sightings across the Pennines and argued that Godfrey’s encounter occurred during a wider wave of reports in northern England.

The Morning Everything Changed

Searching for Missing Cows

At approximately 5:00 a.m., Godfrey received instructions to search for cattle wandering through a housing estate.

After failing to find them, he drove along Burnley Road before returning to the station.

The weather was:

• Wet from overnight rain.
• Cold.
• Mist hanging low over the road.

Everything seemed ordinary.

Then he noticed something ahead.

“I Thought It Was a Bus”

Godfrey later said he initially believed a double-decker bus had somehow slid sideways across the road.

As he approached…

He realised it wasn’t a bus at all.

It was hovering.

The UFO Description

Godfrey described the object in remarkable detail.

Appearance

• Diamond-shaped.
• Roughly 20 feet wide.
• About 14 feet high.
• Hovering around five feet above the road.
• Metallic surface reflecting police lights.
• Row of windows around the upper section.
• Lower half rotating silently.

The object appeared completely stationary despite hovering above the tarmac.

Bushes beneath it were shaking.

He said it emitted no engine noise.

Alan Godfrey’s Sketch

Being a police officer, Godfrey carried an accident sketch pad.

He stopped his patrol car.

Placed the pad against the windscreen.

And quickly sketched what he was seeing.

That sketch became one of Britain’s most famous UFO drawings.

Investigators consider it important because it was made during the encounter, before later publicity.

The Flash

Godfrey attempted to use:

• Vehicle radio.
• Personal police radio.

Neither worked, according to his account.

Then…

A brilliant white flash filled his vision.

His next memory was driving further along Burnley Road.

The object had vanished.

Missing Time

The Most Important Detail

When Godfrey reached the police station he realised something was wrong.

The journey had taken longer than it should.

Investigators estimated approximately:

15–30 minutes were unaccounted for.

Godfrey remembered:

• Seeing the craft.
• Bright flash.
• Suddenly being elsewhere.

He did not consciously remember what happened in between.

This became known as a classic missing time event.

Returning to the Scene

Godfrey drove back to where the object hovered.

There he noticed something unusual.

The Road Surface

Despite rain covering Burnley Road…

One circular section was:

• Completely dry.
• Marked with swirling patterns.
• Roughly matching where the object hovered.

Researchers argued it looked as though heat or air movement had dried the tarmac.

Sceptics disagree.

Physical Evidence

The Split Boot

Police issue boots similar to the ones Godfrey would have worn.

Later that morning Godfrey discovered:

• One police-issued boot had split.
• Sole appeared torn.
• Damage hadn’t been noticed before the encounter.

He couldn’t explain how it happened.

Some investigators suggested it looked consistent with dragging.

Others argued it was ordinary wear.

Red Mark on His Foot

Godfrey also reported:

• Itchy red mark.
• Near ankle or foot.
• Appeared after the incident.

It was never medically linked to anything unusual.

Other Witnesses That Same Morning

Why This Case Is Different

One reason investigators took the case seriously:

Godfrey wasn’t the only person reporting strange lights.

Three Police Officers on the Moors

Officers searching for stolen motorcycles reported:

• Blue-white object.
• Moving erratically.
• Descending toward Todmorden.

The sighting was reportedly transmitted to police headquarters by telex.

Motorist Near Cliviger

A member of the public also reported:

• Bright white object.
• Similar time.
• Same general direction.

Littleborough Officers

Two officers later stated they observed a bright object moving toward Todmorden shortly before Godfrey’s encounter.

These reports don’t prove Godfrey’s encounter…

But they are independent reports of unusual lights.

The Official Police Response

Did Police Believe Him?

Initially…

Godfrey didn’t want publicity.

He feared ridicule.

However, after learning other sightings had been reported, he filed an official report.

Unexpectedly, the story reached the local newspaper.

Soon national tabloids picked it up.

Psychological Examination

West Yorkshire Police ordered medical assessments.

The result:

• Psychologically fit.
• No evidence of mental illness.
• Fit for duty.

This is often cited by believers.

It’s worth noting:

A clean psychological evaluation does not verify the UFO claim. It simply meant investigators found no evidence he was mentally unwell.

The Hypnosis Sessions

Eight Months Later

This is where the story becomes much stranger.

Around eight months later, investigators suggested hypnosis to recover the missing time.

Important note:

Fav Haunts Evidence Note

Hypnosis is highly controversial as evidence.

Many psychologists believe it can create false memories or blend dreams with suggestion.

Because of that, everything below should be treated as Godfrey’s hypnotically recalled account, not established fact.

The Alleged Abduction

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During hypnosis, Godfrey described:

• Beam of light.
• Floating upward.
• Entering the craft.
• Medical examination.

He remembered lying on a table while small beings surrounded him.

The Beings

Godfrey described two types of entities.

Small Beings

• About 3 feet tall.
• Mechanical or robotic.
• Emotionless.
• Conducting examination.

“Joseph”

The strangest figure.

He described a human-looking man:

• Beard and moustache.
• Long robe.
• Skullcap.
• Biblical appearance.

Godfrey later called him Joseph.

This “Biblical” figure makes the Todmorden case unlike almost every other British abduction story.

The Medical Examination

Under hypnosis Godfrey recalled:

• Instruments attached to limbs.
• Examination of feet.
• Needles or probes.
• Feeling nauseous.
• Strong unpleasant smell.

Again…

These memories emerged only during hypnosis.

The Questions He Refused to Reveal

One fascinating detail:

Godfrey later claimed Joseph asked him questions.

He refused to publicly repeat some of them.

Researchers have speculated endlessly about why.

No independent record confirms their content.

The Zigmund Adamski Connection

Todmorden’s Other Great Mystery

This is where the story becomes genuinely eerie.

June 1980

Six months before Godfrey’s encounter…

The body of Zigmund Adamski was discovered on a coal pile in Todmorden.

Strange details included:

• Missing for five days.
• Appeared clean despite disappearance.
• Burns or ointment on neck.
• Clothes oddly arranged.

The coroner returned an open verdict.

Alan Godfrey Investigated Adamski

Godfrey was one of the officers who attended the scene.

Some UFO researchers believe this links the mysteries.

There is no evidence police connected the two cases officially.

Timeline of the Incident

04:50

Searching Todmorden for escaped cattle.

05:00

Sees large object blocking Burnley Road.

Moments Later

Sketches the object from inside patrol car.

Immediately After

Police radios allegedly fail.

Flash of Light

Remembers nothing.

Unknown Time Later

Driving 100 yards further along road.

Later Morning

Finds damaged boot and realises time is missing.

Later That Day

Official report submitted.

Where Did It Happen?

Visitors today can still stand on the stretch of Burnley Road where the encounter reportedly occurred.

The surrounding landscape has changed surprisingly little.

The Physical Evidence

Evidence	Reported?
Contemporaneous sketch	Yes
Missing time	Yes
Split Police boot	Yes
Red mark on foot	Yes
Dry circular road marking	Yes
Independent police light sightings	Yes
Photographs of craft	No
Radar confirmation	No confirmed radar evidence.

The Sceptical Explanations

1. False Memory from Hypnosis

This is the explanation accepted by many psychologists.

Arguments include:

• Hypnosis is suggestible.
• Memories may be reconstructed.
• Details changed between sessions.

This affects only the abduction narrative — not necessarily the initial sighting.

2. Stress and Fatigue

Godfrey had worked overnight.

Fatigue can contribute to:

• Perceptual distortions.
• Memory gaps.
• Microsleeps.

However, supporters argue this doesn’t explain the sketch or other witness reports.

3. Ball Lightning or Atmospheric Phenomena

Ball lightning an extremely rare phenomenon, witnessed in Alberta Canada

Some researchers proposed:

• Electrical discharge.
• Ball lightning.
• Atmospheric plasma.

Possible strengths:

• Bright light.
• Electrical interference.

Weaknesses:

• Doesn’t easily explain structured object with windows.
• Doesn’t explain missing time.

4. Dream-Like Confabulation

Some investigators suggest:

• Real unexplained light.
• Followed by unconsciousness.
• Brain created narrative afterward.

Again…

Possible explanation for hypnosis memories.

Why Believers Think It’s Genuine

Argument	Reason
Serving police officer	Considered a credible witness.
On-duty encounter	Little motive for fabrication.
Sketch made immediatley	Contemporaneous evidence.
Other police sightings	Independent unusual light reports.
Psychological evaluation	No evidence of mental illness.

Supporters believe these factors make Todmorden one of Britain’s strongest UFO cases.

Why Sceptics Remain Unconvinced

Question	Sceptical View
Where is the craft?	No photographs or physical debris.
Missing time?	Memory disruption or fatigue.
Hypnosis memories?	Potentially unreliable.
Road markings?	Natural drying or environmental effects.
Other sightings?	Lights do not prove the same object.

What Happened to Alan Godfrey Afterwards?

The publicity became overwhelming.

According to Godfrey:

• National newspapers pursued him.
• Colleagues questioned him.
• Career became increasingly difficult.

Years later he left the police following an unrelated serious injury sustained while arresting violent suspects.

Importantly…

He has consistently maintained:

He is certain he saw a UFO.

But he has also repeatedly said he cannot be certain whether the hypnotic abduction memories were literal reality, a dream, or something in between.

That nuance is often left out of documentaries.

Connections to Rendlesham Forest?

The timing is remarkable.

November–December 1980

Within weeks of Todmorden:

• Pennine UFO wave.
• Alan Godfrey encounter.
• Rendlesham Forest incident in Suffolk.

Researchers have speculated about a nationwide wave.

No official investigation concluded the cases were connected.

The Fav Haunts Verdict

What We Can Say With Confidence

Established facts

• Alan Godfrey was an on-duty police officer.
• He reported seeing a hovering object.
• He produced a sketch immediately afterward.
• He believed around 15–30 minutes were missing.
• Other witnesses reported unusual lights in the area that morning.
• Police medically assessed him and found no evidence of psychological illness.

What Remains Unexplained?

• What caused the missing time?
• Why did radios reportedly fail?
• What created the dry circular marking?
• Why were other officers reporting unusual lights nearby?
• Are the hypnosis memories meaningful or products of suggestion?

Possible Explanations

This is one of the most fascinating sceptical theories connected to the case.

What is a Futuro House?

The Futuro House was designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in the late 1960s. It was a prefabricated, fibreglass home shaped remarkably like a flying saucer.

Its features included:

• Oval or diamond-like profile.
• Metallic-looking shell.
• Ring of windows around the upper section.
• Approximately 26 feet wide.
• Could be transported in sections by lorry.

Looking at photographs today, it’s easy to see why UFO researchers immediately noticed the resemblance.

Why It Matters

Researcher and historian Dr David Clarke pointed out on Uncanny that there was reportedly a Futuro House in Todmorden around the late 1970s, not far from the police station. He suggested it’s possible Godfrey had seen it previously without consciously registering it, and that its distinctive shape may have influenced how he interpreted whatever he encountered on Burnley Road.

Could Alan Have Seen One Being Transported?

Some researchers have gone a step further.

The theory suggests:

1. A Futuro House may have been transported on a low-loader or lorry in poor visibility.
2. Heavy Pennine mist could have obscured the vehicle beneath it.
3. Headlights and reflections might have created the impression of a hovering object.
4. Godfrey’s brain filled in the missing details during a moment of shock or disorientation.

Problems with the Theory

It’s an intriguing explanation, but it isn’t without problems.

What it explains

• Overall shape of the craft.
• Ring of windows.
• Size of the object.

What it doesn’t explain

• Why Godfrey described it hovering several feet above the road.
• The apparent silent rotation of the lower section.
• The missing time.
• The reported radio failures.
• Other police officers reporting unusual lights over the Pennines that morning.

I think it unlikely that this is what PC Godfrey saw although you cannot deny the similarity to the craft he sketched.

Theory	Evidence Strength
Extraterrestrial encounter	Supported mainly by testimony, sketch, and surrounding witness reports.
Atmospheric Phenomenon	Explains lights, but not structured craft description.
Fatigue or neurological event	Possible explanation for missing time.
False memories from hypnosis	Strong psychological explanation for the abduction narrative.

A Strange Twist – A Letter from Moscow

A Russian Scientist Contacts Alan

After the UFO encounter became public, Godfrey says he received a letter from a man identifying himself as Professor Zakharov in Moscow.

According to Alan, the professor:

• Said he was researching UFO phenomena.
• Asked for every detail about the Todmorden incident.
• Asked specifically whether Alan knew anything about another UFO event in southern England.

Why Was That So Strange?

At the time this happened:

• Britain and the Soviet Union were in the middle of the Cold War.
• Alan was a serving police officer.
• Receiving unsolicited correspondence from Moscow was unusual enough that he reported it to his superiors.

Rendlesham Connection

The letter reportedly mentioned an incident in Surrey (or southern England) that Alan knew nothing about.

Only later did researchers notice something remarkable:

Alan’s sighting occurred one month before the Rendlesham Forest Incident in Suffolk — Britain’s most famous military UFO encounter.

Whether that timing is meaningful remains completely unknown.

Final Thoughts

The Alan Godfrey Incident occupies a fascinating middle ground between documented UFO sighting and alleged alien abduction.

The initial encounter has several unusual features that investigators still debate. The later hypnosis transformed it into one of Britain’s most famous abduction stories, but those memories remain controversial and should be treated separately from the contemporaneous evidence.

Whether it was an extraordinary encounter, an unexplained atmospheric event, or something rooted in human memory, Todmorden remains one of the UK’s most enduring paranormal mysteries.