Alfred Burtoo: Too Old for Intergalactic Purposes
The story of Alfred Burtoo, a 77-year-old ex-military veteran, is a curious and compelling one in the realm of UFO encounters. On the night of August 12, 1983, while night fishing with his dog, Tiny, along the Basingstoke Canal in Aldershot, Bertou experienced an event that he would recount for the rest of his life.
Shortly after 1 a.m., Alfred noticed a strange light approaching. It settled behind some trees about 300 feet away, its glow still visible through the branches. Tiny began to growl nervously. As Alfred stood to get a better view, he saw two figures approaching.
These beings, as described by Burtoo, were about four feet tall, clad in tight, pale green coveralls that appeared moulded to their bodies. They wore matching green helmets with blacked-out visors. Intrigued rather than frightened – perhaps due to his military background – Alfred watched as one of the beings beckoned him to follow.
He followed the being, along with the second one, across a footbridge to where the craft was clearly visible. It was a large, 40-foot wide, shiny metallic craft resting on two ski-like legs. A porthole opened, revealing a set of steps leading inside. Again, Burtoo was motioned to enter. He felt no fear.
Inside, Alfred found himself in an octagonal room. The air was warm, but a strange, unsettling smell of decaying meat permeated the space. The beings moved with a stiff, but not inhuman, gait. The black metal of the room appeared unfinished, seamless, without any visible nuts, screws, or bolts. Suddenly, a large shaft of light appeared in the centre of the room, and two more identical beings joined the group.
A voice spoke to Alfred, instructing him to "stand under the amber light." He complied. Then, he was asked a series of questions, including his age. He replied that he would be 78 on his next birthday. He was then told to turn around in the light. After a short wait, the voice returned, declaring, “You can go. You are too old and infirm for our purpose”.
Alfred was escorted off the craft and returned to his fishing spot. Moments later, a bright light flashed, and the craft shot off into the sky at incredible speed. Looking at his watch, Alfred realized that over an hour had passed – time he couldn't account for.
The next morning, while still processing the night's events, Alfred was approached by two mounted Ministry of Defence policemen. During casual conversation, he mentioned the strange lights he'd seen. One of the officers replied, "Yes. I suspect you did see that UFO. I expect they were checking on our military installations!"
Later, Alfred shared his story with his wife and then with UFO investigator and author Timothy Good. Good, despite the unusual details, believed Alfred's account. Alfred maintained his story consistently until his death in 1986.
So, there you have it. Alfred Burtoo, deemed too old for intergalactic shenanigans. It's a bizarre tale, isn't it? The decaying meat smell, the sudden dismissal, the Ministry of Defence casually acknowledging UFOs... it's all just so weird. As we discussed on the podcast, this story raises more questions than it answers. Were they really harvesting humans? Was it all a misunderstanding? Or was Alfred just having a really strange night by the canal? We may never know. But one thing's for sure: it's a story we won't soon forget. What do you think they were going to do with him? Let us know in the comments!
For this story and more check out Episode 6 of our podcast here