Alan Godfrey Abduction

Event Summary

Alan Godfrey, born on June 30, 1947, served as a police constable with the West Yorkshire Police in Todmorden, a small market town in the Pennines. On the night of November 28, 1980, Godfrey experienced an incident that would become one of the most famous UFO abduction cases in the UK. The encounter took place against the backdrop of a region already steeped in mysterious occurrences, including the unexplained death of Zigmund Adamski, a case that Godfrey himself had investigated six months earlier.

The Incident
Initial Sighting: On the evening of November 28, 1980, while on routine patrol, Godfrey was dispatched to investigate reports of cattle wandering around a council estate. As he drove along Burnley Road, he noticed a bright light hovering above the road ahead. Intrigued and cautious, he approached the object to get a closer look.

Description of the Object: As Godfrey neared the light, he saw a diamond-shaped object approximately 20 feet high and 14 feet wide, hovering about five feet above the road. The object appeared to be rotating and emitted a bright, white light. The sight was both mesmerizing and alarming, as it defied any conventional explanation.

Communication Failure: Godfrey attempted to radio for backup, but his radio equipment malfunctioned. He also tried to use his police-issued notebook to sketch the object, but found himself unable to do so accurately. The situation grew increasingly bizarre and unsettling.

Missing Time: Suddenly, Godfrey found himself 30 yards further down the road, still in his patrol car, but with no memory of how he got there. He realized that approximately 20-30 minutes had passed, a period he could not account for. This phenomenon of "missing time" is commonly reported in UFO abduction cases and added a layer of mystery to the encounter.

Physical Evidence: Upon regaining his senses, Godfrey noticed a split in one of his boots and a strange, itchy red mark on his foot. These physical anomalies suggested that something extraordinary had occurred during the missing time. Additionally, the area where the object had hovered showed signs of disturbance, with swirled patterns on the ground and nearby foliage.

Hypnotic Regression
Seeking answers, Godfrey underwent several sessions of hypnotic regression. Hypnotic regression is a technique used to recover memories from the subconscious mind, often employed in cases involving unexplained phenomena. During these sessions, Godfrey recalled a series of vivid and unsettling experiences:

Blinded by Light: Godfrey described being blinded by a beam of light emanating from the object. The intense light overwhelmed his senses, and he lost consciousness.

Inside the Craft: He found himself inside a room with smooth, metallic walls. The interior of the craft was filled with a soft, ambient light, and he felt a sense of calm despite the surreal surroundings.

The Beings: Godfrey encountered small beings with large heads and eyes, reminiscent of the classic "gray alien" archetype. The beings were about three to four feet tall and communicated with him telepathically, instilling a sense of reassurance.

Medical Examination: The beings conducted a medical examination on Godfrey, using advanced instruments to scan and probe his body. He described a humanoid figure, taller than the others, overseeing the examination. The humanoid wore a robe and had a calm, authoritative presence.

Return to the Car: After the examination, Godfrey was returned to his patrol car, where he regained consciousness 30 yards down the road from where he initially encountered the object.

Connection to Zigmund Adamski
Six months prior to his own abduction, Godfrey had investigated the mysterious death of Zigmund Adamski, a coal miner whose body was found on top of a coal pile in Todmorden. Adamski's body bore strange burns and a substance that could not be identified. The coroner, James Turnbull, described the case as one of the most baffling he had ever encountered. The unexplained nature of Adamski's death, coupled with Godfrey's subsequent abduction, led some to speculate a possible connection between the two events.

Public and Media Reaction
The Alan Godfrey abduction case quickly gained national and international attention. The media coverage was extensive, with newspapers and television programs reporting on the bizarre encounter. Godfrey's account became one of the most well-known alien abduction stories in the UK, and he was interviewed on prime-time television news shows, further increasing public interest in his story.

The case attracted the attention of UFO researchers and enthusiasts, who saw it as compelling evidence of extraterrestrial contact. Godfrey's credibility as a police officer added weight to his account, and the physical evidence, such as the split boot and the red mark on his foot, provided tangible clues that something unusual had occurred.

Later Developments
In 2018, Godfrey publicly stated that he believed the abduction he described under hypnosis was probably a dream. He clarified that he "never said he was abducted by aliens." Despite this, he self-published a book titled Who or What Were They?, in which he shared his speculations and detailed his experiences related to the UFO sighting and the Adamski case.

Speculations and Theories
Various theories have been proposed to explain Alan Godfrey's abduction experience:

Dream or Hallucination: Given Godfrey's later statements, some have suggested that his abduction experience was a dream or hallucination triggered by the stress and trauma of the initial sighting.

Psychological Phenomenon: The missing time and subsequent memories could be the result of a psychological phenomenon, such as dissociation or a trance state induced by the intense experience.

Advanced Military Technology: Some theorists propose that the object Godfrey encountered was an advanced military aircraft or experimental technology, explaining the malfunctioning radio and the object's extraordinary characteristics.

Extraterrestrial Abduction: The classic explanation among UFO enthusiasts is that Godfrey was indeed abducted by extraterrestrial beings. The detailed descriptions of the craft and the beings align with other well-documented abduction cases, lending credibility to this theory.

Event Details