The Ilkley Moor Photograph
Crossing a Yorkshire moor at dawn, a man photographed a small green figure, then saw a craft rise into the sky.
What was reported
Early on 1 December 1987, a retired police officer, later known by the name Philip Spencer, was crossing Ilkley Moor with a camera when, he said, he saw a small green figure. He took a single photograph before it moved away.
Following it, he said he saw a silver, saucer-shaped craft rise and disappear. When he reached the nearest town, he found he had lost more than an hour. The photo shows a blurry, small figure on the moor.
Explanations offered
Sceptics suggest a hoax, or a person or animal blurred in the low light. The film was examined by photographic experts, who found no sign of tampering but couldn't say what it showed. The witness's identity has never been made public.
- When
- 1 December 1987
- Where
- Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire, England
- Witnesses
- A retired police officer, known as Philip Spencer
- Status
- Disputed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.