IT'S been “Britain's Roswell” for nearly 30 years, but today was claimed to be not little green men from outer space invading - but stolen goods on fire.

IT'S been “Britain's Roswell” for nearly 30 years, but today was claimed to be not little green men from outer space invading - but stolen goods on fire.

An Ipswich pensioner claimed he was to blame for the famous UFO sighting at Rendlesham and causing three decades of intrigue.

Peter Turtill said he had been amazed at the way the incident had snowballed out of control with a plethora of books, documentaries and outlandish stories.

USAF personnel claimed a UFO landed in Rendlesham Forest, leaving traces, including markings on the ground and radiation.

The descriptions given by officers at the base have fuelled decades of speculation and claims, with the area around the site said to be a portal or gateway for aliens visiting earth.

“It really is a load of nonsense - there was no real fuss at the time and it was only later people started saying it was aliens and this story spiralled,” said Mr Turtill, 66, of Beatty Road.

He had been on his way home after collecting a truck he had lent to a friend when it broke down near the USAF airbase at Rendlesham in December 1980.

“To my horror it was loaded with stolen fertiliser so we towed it off the road into the forest and set light to it to destroy the evidence of the crime,” said Mr Turtill.

“The truck had an aluminium body and the fertiliser and metal made some very unusual coloured flames which flared among the trees.

“Some of the airmen from the base thought it was a multi-coloured cross from out of space, and with the truck tyres popping they were getting a bit edgy.

“They had guns and we didn't want to get in their way so we towed the burning vehicle onto the road. I admit it probably looked spectacular rolling through the forest but it was hardly a spaceship.”

Mr Turtill said the burned out chassis had stood in the forest for 20 years until it was removed.

His claims were today rubbished by Rendlesham UFO investigator Brenda Butler.

She said: “I don't get what he is saying. There have been so many witnesses who have come forward.

“He would have to come up with an awful lot of proof to call them liars. Why has he waited 29 years to come forward?”

SIGHTINGS of bright orange lights in the skies over Suffolk are continuing - with still no explanation for the phenomena.

Dozens of people have reported seeing the UFOs on different days over the past three weeks.

Gary Finbow said he saw a bright orange light over the Foxhall Road area of Ipswich about 8.47pm on Sunday .

“I was in the garden and called my wife out and it was directly overhead - there was no noise, and I had a spotting scope to hand and did see it for a few seconds,” he said.

Tony Hampsheir was at Trinity showground about 10.30pm on August 21 when he saw three orange lights coming from the southwest and heading east.

“They flew around each other, not in a straight line, not as you would get with lanterns or helicopters. They were followed by another 15 or so. I am an engineer and keen aircraft enthusiast having flown many aircraft and gliders, but never seen anything like this before.”

- People can report UFOs for investigation via the Ministry of Defence hotline on 01494 496254.