What Happened on the Todmorden Road?

Introduction

The Alan Godfrey sighting on the Todmorden road in West Yorkshire began as a routine police patrol and became one of Britain’s most discussed UFO reports. In the early hours of 28 November 1980, West Yorkshire Police constable Alan Godfrey said he encountered a large hovering object while searching for stray cattle near Todmorden. He reported seeing a structured craft, attempted to use his police radio, made a sketch of what he saw, and later found himself further along the road with a gap in his memory.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

The importance of the sighting timeline lies in the separation between what Godfrey reported immediately and what emerged later. The initial roadside encounter was recorded through his police report and sketch, while the later claims of missing time and an alleged abduction came from subsequent investigations and hypnotic regression. This distinction is central to understanding why the case remains debated: the first part rests mainly on a contemporary witness account, whereas the most extraordinary elements depend on later memories that are much harder to verify.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

What Happened on the Todmorden Road?

Night patrol and first observations

Godfrey’s encounter occurred near the end of his night shift in Todmorden. He was driving a police vehicle along Burnley Road while looking for reports of stray cows. According to his account, he initially interpreted the object ahead as a bus or another ordinary vehicle positioned awkwardly across the road. As he approached, he said it became clear that it did not resemble a conventional vehicle.[Calderdale Companion]calderdalecompanion.co.ukCalderdale Companion Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: FoldoutCalderdale CompanionMalcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: FoldoutJuly 11, 2025…Published: July 11, 2025

Godfrey described the object as a large, bright, diamond-shaped or flattened object hovering just above the road. His later descriptions placed it at roughly several metres wide, with a rotating lower section and window-like features or panels. He also reported movement in nearby vegetation, which he interpreted as an effect of the object’s presence.[Calderdale Companion]calderdalecompanion.co.ukCalderdale Companion Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: FoldoutCalderdale CompanionMalcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: FoldoutJuly 11, 2025…Published: July 11, 2025

One of the distinctive features of the account is that Godfrey did not immediately present it as an extraordinary event. His first reaction was practical: he approached the object, tried to identify it, and attempted to communicate through his police equipment. The sequence is important because supporters of the case argue that his behaviour resembles that of an officer investigating an unfamiliar situation rather than someone constructing a dramatic story after the fact.[prufospolicedatabase.co.uk]prufospolicedatabase.co.ukO N DUTY SIGHTINGSON DUTY SIGHTINGS - The PRUFOS Police Database…

However, the limitations of the evidence are equally important. No independent witness is known to have observed the object at close range, and there is no surviving photograph, radar record, or physical sample that confirms the presence of an unknown craft. The case therefore depends heavily on the reliability of Godfrey’s own account and the documents created around it.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

The Object Description and Sketch

Godfrey’s sketch is one of the most frequently discussed elements of the sighting because it was produced during the encounter rather than years later. According to accounts of the incident, he used a notebook in his patrol car to draw the object while he was observing it. The sketch became part of the case file and later investigations by UFO researchers.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

The description attached to the sketch was unusually specific. Godfrey reported a shape unlike a normal aircraft, with a broad upper section and a rotating lower part. He estimated that the object hovered only a short distance above the road surface. These details helped make the Todmorden incident stand out among UFO reports because the witness claimed a relatively close-range observation rather than a distant light in the sky.[Calderdale Companion]calderdalecompanion.co.ukCalderdale Companion Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: FoldoutCalderdale CompanionMalcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: FoldoutJuly 11, 2025…Published: July 11, 2025

The sketch is useful evidence in one limited sense: it shows what Godfrey claimed to have perceived at the time. It does not, by itself, establish what the object actually was. A drawing made by a witness can preserve an observation, but it cannot independently confirm whether the source was an unknown technology, a misidentified conventional object, or an unusual perceptual experience.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

This distinction became important in later assessments of the case. Researchers interested in the incident have generally treated the sketch and initial report as stronger evidence than the later reconstructed memories because they were closer in time to the event itself.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

Missing Time After the Encounter

The most controversial part of Godfrey’s account begins after the main sighting. He reported a sudden interruption in his experience: after a flash of light, he found himself further along the road with the object gone. He later estimated that a period of time appeared to be missing from his memory. Some accounts place the gap at around several minutes, with later estimates often describing it as roughly 10–15 minutes.[Things Visible & Invisible]tvi.showthe 1980 todmorden incidentThings Visible & InvisibleThe 1980 Todmorden UFO Encounter: Policeman Alan Godfrey’s Close Encounter That Shook West Yorkshire…

Godfrey’s immediate account focused on the unexplained movement of events rather than a detailed abduction narrative. The later claim that he had been taken aboard the object developed after hypnotic regression sessions conducted months after the sighting. Under hypnosis, he described additional experiences involving a strange interior environment and unusual figures.[Think About It Docs]thinkaboutitdocs.compolice constable alan godfreys abductionThink About It Docs1980: Police constable Alan Godfrey's abduction…

The distinction between these two stages is central to evaluating the witness account. The roadside sighting, the sketch, and the reported memory gap were part of the original story. The alleged encounter inside the craft was a later reconstruction of the missing period. Researchers have long debated how much confidence should be placed in hypnotically recovered memories, as such techniques can be influenced by suggestion and do not provide a reliable recording of forgotten events.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

Godfrey himself has reportedly maintained that he believed the roadside encounter happened, while expressing uncertainty about how to interpret the later recovered memories. This position has contributed to the case’s unusual character: even the witness has distinguished between being confident about the initial event and being less certain about the meaning of the missing time.[Reddit]reddit.comPolice constable Alan Godfrey's abduction in West Yorkshire, England DatePolice constable Alan Godfrey's abduction in West Yorkshire, England Date: November 28, 1980 Location: Todmorden, West Yorkshire, U…Published: November 28, 1980

Timeline of the Witness Account

Time periodReported eventEvidence statusAround 5:00 a.m., 28 November 1980Alan Godfrey patrols near Todmorden while searching for stray cattleBased primarily on Godfrey’s account and later case records[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex afterwardsHe sees what he first thinks is a vehicle before identifying it as an unusual hovering objectContemporary witness claim[Calderdale Companion]calderdalecompanion.co.ukCalderdale Companion Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: FoldoutCalderdale CompanionMalcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: FoldoutJuly 11, 2025…Published: July 11, 2025 the encounterHe attempts radio communication and sketches the objectReported in case investigations; sketch is a key documentary item[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex the flash or interruptionHe finds himself further along the road and reports missing timeWitness testimony, not independently verified[Things Visible & Invisible]tvi.showthe 1980 todmorden incidentThings Visible & InvisibleThe 1980 Todmorden UFO Encounter: Policeman Alan Godfrey’s Close Encounter That Shook West Yorkshire… in 1980 and afterwardsUFO researchers investigate the case; hypnosis produces further memoriesLater testimony with greater uncertainty[Isaac Koi Archive]isaackoi.com19801129 alan godfrey encounterIsaac Koi Archive1980.1129 Alan Godfrey encounter | Isaac Koi Archive…

The timeline shows why the Godfrey case remains influential among UFO researchers while also remaining disputed among sceptics. The strongest documented portion is the ordinary investigative sequence: a police officer reports an unusual object, records his description, and files a report. The weakest evidential link is the interpretation of the missing interval, where the account relies almost entirely on later recollection rather than independent confirmation.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

How the Witness Account Is Assessed Today

The lasting interest in Godfrey’s sighting comes from the combination of a credible witness, a near-contemporary record, and an unresolved central question: what caused the experience he described? Supporters argue that his police background, immediate reporting, and detailed description make the case difficult to dismiss.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

Sceptical analyses generally focus on the lack of independent physical evidence and the possibility that an unusual but ordinary stimulus, combined with human perception and memory, could explain parts of the event. The later hypnotic material is usually treated more cautiously because recovered memories are not considered a dependable method for establishing historical events.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

The most balanced reading of the timeline is therefore that two different questions are often combined under the name “the Alan Godfrey encounter.” The first asks what happened during a roadside observation in November 1980; the second asks what, if anything, occurred during the period he could not remember. The available evidence supports a well-documented unusual report, but it does not provide a definitive explanation for the event itself or the missing time that followed.[UAP Codex]uapcodex.orgUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP CodexUAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex

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Endnotes

1. Source: prufospolicedatabase.co.uk
Title: O N DUTY SIGHTINGS
Link:https://www.prufospolicedatabase.co.uk/3.html

2. Source: reddit.com
Title: Police constable Alan Godfrey’s abduction in West Yorkshire, England Date
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/abovethenormnews/comments/1arqsy0

Published: November 28, 1980

3. Source: youtube.com
Title: Yorkshire’s Strangest Small Town Mystery
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6NIyTPF0G4

4. Source: youtube.com
Title: ALAN GODFREY
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YfAlpWVtac

5. Source: uapcodex.org
Title: UAP Codex Todmorden · PC Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex
Link:https://uapcodex.org/cases/todmorden-godfrey-1980/

6. Source: calderdalecompanion.co.uk
Title: Calderdale Companion Malcolm Bull’s Calderdale Companion: Foldout
Link:https://www.calderdalecompanion.co.uk/mmg222.html

Published: July 11, 2025

7. Source: tvi.show
Title: the 1980 todmorden incident
Link:https://www.tvi.show/close-encounters/the-1980-todmorden-incident

8. Source: thinkaboutitdocs.com
Title: police constable alan godfreys abduction
Link:https://www.thinkaboutitdocs.com/police-constable-alan-godfreys-abduction/

9. Source: isaackoi.com
Title: 19801129 alan godfrey encounter
Link:https://isaackoi.com/ufo-history/ufo/19801129-alan-godfrey-encounter/

10. Source: abovethenormnews.com
Link:https://www.abovethenormnews.com/2025/03/18/the-missing-minutes-police-officer-alan-godfreys-alien-abduction-on-burnley-road/

Published: March 18, 2025

11. Source: unidentifiedphenomena.com
Title: alan godfrey encounter
Link:https://unidentifiedphenomena.com/incidents/alan-godfrey-encounter/

12. Source: thinkaboutitdocs.com
Title: 1980 november ufo alien sightings
Link:https://www.thinkaboutitdocs.com/1980-november-ufo-alien-sightings/

13. Source: uapcodex.org
Title: Todmorden · agente Alan Godfrey · UAP Codex
Link:https://uapcodex.org/es/cases/todmorden-godfrey-1980/

14. Source: isaackoi.com
Link:https://isaackoi.com/ufo-history/ufo-personalities/clarke-david/

Additional References

15. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkNvIXvpcQo

16. Source: youtube.com
Title: The Extra-Terrestrial Abduction of Alan Godfrey | UFO Conspiracies
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg31kbdgtJc

17. Source: thecoldfile.com
Title: 1956 lakenheath bentwaters
Link:https://www.thecoldfile.com/articles/1956-lakenheath-bentwaters/

18. Source: podcasts.apple.com
Link:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-todmorden-ufo/id1806535967?i=1000758162345

Published: March 30, 2026

19. Source: youtube.com
Title: The Bizarre Death of Zigmund Adamski: UFO Cover-Up or Cold Case?
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkuRqikJjhA

20. Source: gold.ac.uk
Link:https://www.gold.ac.uk/calendar/?id=3234

21. Source: helpwithdiy.com
Link:https://www.helpwithdiy.com/ufo-alley/

22. Source: history.co.uk
Link:https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-todmorden-ufo-mystery-a-close-encounter-in-west-yorkshire

23. Source: audible.co.uk
Link:https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/The-Todmorden-UFO/B0GVC7RCT5

24. Source: inkl.com
Link:https://www.inkl.com/news/the-real-story-behind-the-hilarious-ufo-wind-up-in-happy-valley