Welcome to the Wyrd Wessex blog! Andy and I are back this week with a deep dive into UFOs, covering everything from bizarre abductions to a first-hand sighting from yours truly. We've got stories that will make you rethink what you believe and a whole lot of weird news to top it off.
The Aveley Abduction: Alien Life Coaches or Something Else?
We started with a truly fascinating story from 1974 involving the Avis family in Essex. As they were driving, they spotted a glowing blue light that followed their car. The engine went silent, and they experienced the "Oz effect"—an eerie silence where all natural sounds cease. They were then engulfed in a thick, green mist, and when they emerged, three hours of time had inexplicably vanished.
The experience had a profound effect on the family's lives. The father, John, had a nervous breakdown and changed careers, while his son, Kevin, who was awake during the event, went from being a poor student to excelling at school. The family even reported poltergeist activity in their home afterward. Under hypnosis, John recalled being lifted into a large room and examined by tall, peaceful, telepathic beings. The beings told him they weren't "visiting"—they "are here always." We discussed whether these visitors were some kind of "changelings" or perhaps alien "life coaches" sent to better humanity.
The Aldershot Abduction: You Are Too Old
Next, I shared a unique abduction story from Alfred Burtoo, a 77-year-old military veteran. In 1983, while night fishing with his dog, he was approached by two four-foot-tall humanoids in pale green coveralls. They led him aboard a 40-foot-wide craft that smelled of "decaying meat." After standing under an amber light for examination, a voice simply asked for his age. When he replied he was 77, the voice said, "You can go. You are too old and infirm for our purpose." Alfred was then returned to his fishing spot, an hour later. It’s hard to imagine anyone making up such a hilariously insulting story, which makes you wonder if it’s more credible.
Noddy Holder & West Yorkshire Sightings
Not even rock stars are immune to these events! We shared a story from the band Slade's frontman, Noddy Holder. He claims that while staying in Bournemouth, his hotel room was filled with a white light at midnight, and he saw a flying saucer race across the sea. His wife, however, insisted he was just drunk.
We also discussed a news story about the West Yorkshire police department, which is reportedly overwhelmed with UFO reports. One particularly bizarre report, which they did not want to release, described a woman being "beamed into the sky."
My Personal UFO Sighting
To cap things off, I shared a first-hand account of my own UFO sighting. In the summer of 2006, while walking with my girlfriend in Hertfordshire, we saw a giant, pulsating orange ball in the night sky. It moved in a bizarre, unnatural pattern—slowly, then zipping off at incredible speed—before disappearing into the horizon. With no sound and no rational explanation like a plane, helicopter, or drone, the only thing I can think of is ball lightning, but it still remains a complete mystery.
Wyrd News
In our wyrd news segment, we discussed a biblical plague of frogs, toads, and tadpoles that caused a multi-car pileup in Honduras, and a similar plague of locusts in Mexico. To top it off, we looked at a report from The Sun about a top-secret probe launched by a British missile base in Yorkshire after a UFO was tracked on their radar screens.
What's Next for Wyrd Wessex?
We ended the episode by planning our next adventure! There's a notorious woodland in Sussex where UFOs, ghosts, and even satanic cults have all been reported. We decided we have to visit the site and do a live recording from there for our next episode. Hopefully, it won't be our last!
What are your thoughts on these stories? Do you think the Avis family's lives were changed for the better by these beings, or was it a traumatic experience that led to a personal transformation? Let us know in the comments below!