On the 20th. June, 1977 a documentary film was shown by Anglia Television under the name of Alternative Three. The film was produced for Anglia’s weekly show, Science Report that went out nationwide. The weekly show featured various aspects of science and new discoveries, but on this occasion the film depicted a series of events, which would create a storm of controversy resulting in over 10,000 frightened members of the public calling the television station demanding to know if the film was factual.
	a screengrab from the show

Tony Dodd - the mystery of
alternative 3

Author: Tony Dodd.

On the 20th. June, 1977 a documentary film was shown by Anglia Television under the name of Alternative Three. The film was produced for Anglia’s weekly show, Science Report that went out nationwide. The weekly show featured various aspects of science and new discoveries, but on this occasion the film depicted a series of events, which would create a storm of controversy resulting in over 10,000 frightened members of the public calling the television station demanding to know if the film was factual.

a screengrab from the show

Within an hour the television station issued a hurried statement stating that the show was a hoax.

The film was based on the book, ‘Alternative Three’ written by Leslie Watkins and David Ambrose and told the cloak and dagger story about growing concerns for the future of the Planet. Nobody to this day knows the full truth behind the amazing revelations. After the book was launched and the film shown, both authors withdrew into obscurity leaving dedicated researchers sending messages across the World to confirm or otherwise the truth of the film.

The theme of the film which followed closely the script of the book was that unknown to the public, the greenhouse effect had reached a point of no return and that the Earth was doomed to destruction by the forces of dramatic climate change. The film also indicated that large numbers of top scientists were being taken to a secret location to formulate a plan of action.

Before the screening of the film Anglia television had issued a press release in which it said: -
	a screengrab from the show

“A team of journalists investigating among other subjects , the draught of 1976, and the changes in the World’s atmospheric conditions and also the disturbing rise in the statistics of disappearing people, follow a trial of information and scientific research throughout England and America. A Cambridge scientist, an ex astronaut living in retirement following a nervous breakdown, are among links in their investigation, which comes together finally in some strange discoveries about future life on Earth and elsewhere in the Solar System”.

Presenter Tim Brinton spoke on the film of a covert group of scientists working for American and Soviet intelligence and explained that a secret operation known as Alternative Three was active and in progress and that steps were being taken by American and Russian astronauts to set up a new colony on Mars.

According to the programme American and Soviet scientists and heads of government attended secret meetings where discussions took place on the best way to deal with the worsening situation. After much debate the conclusions reached were that there were three alternatives.

Alternative 1

To construct vast underground complexes to shield against the effect of the sweltering heat. This was dropped because sooner or later the Earth would become a cauldron where nobody could live.

Alternative 2

To launch nuclear missiles into the Van Allen radiation belt to blast holes in the belt to allow the carbon dioxide to escape the Earth’s atmosphere, but this proposal was dropped because putting massive holes in the belt would allow deadly cosmic rays to enter our atmosphere

Alternative 3

Then came the third option which was to become known as alternative 3. This was the accepted alternative. It was decided that the only possibility of saving the human race from extinction was to bring together the World’s top scientists in every field of endeavour and to strive to colonise another planet so that small numbers of highly qualified personnel could start again to build up the human race. The best hope for this was to colonise Mars.

 

During the research for their book Watkins and Ambrose found that many highly qualified scientists were in fact moving to the united states in what was known at the time as the ‘Brain Drain’, and attempts to contact any of these scientists met with a wall of silence. The just seemed to have disappeared. As Ambrose and Watkins widened their search they found that many scientists had not turned up at their intended destinations in several countries. They even contacted parents who had been receiving postcards but these turned out to be false.

At this time a scientist who had previously worked for NASA decided to leak the information about Alternative Three. He met with a top scientist from Jodrell Bank Observatory who was on a visit to America and secretly gave him a deciphering machine which he said was needed to play a video tape containing top secret footage. He said he would later travel to England and produce a tape to confirm these amazing secrets. Later the English scientist arranged to meet a Fleet Street editor and another friend to discuss the revelations which had been revealed to him, but before the meeting could take place he was killed in a car crash which involved no other vehicle. The journalists claimed it was murder. Later the American scientist turned up at Jodrell Bank and eventually the tape was married up with the deciphering machine which was by now in the hands of the journalist at Anglia Television.

It was decided to make a film portraying the events leading up to the showing of the secret film and this would be shown on Anglia’s weekly science programme. The programme would be called Alternative Three.

After the programme various newspapers carried reports on the outcome and the Daily Mail carried the following story:

The Director of the spoof TV documentary which portrayed life on Mars last night defended the programme after receiving telephone calls from hundreds of angry viewers. Christopher Miles, who’s Science Report appeared on Anglia TV said,”I don’t think we were irresponsible, we staged it like a documentary, but the names of all the stars appeared at the end.” An Anglia spokesman added, “We are delighted by the response. More than 10,000 people phoned in about the show.”

Although the film was made using actors and purported to be a big hoax, Leslie Watkins maintained that 65% of the book was based on fact. When we contacted some of the actors who took part in the film they told us that they had been ordered from the very top that they must not discuss the film with anybody.

So the revelations made in Alternative Three went into obscurity and memories of the events faded with time, but the question has to be asked, What was the 65% of the book that was true?. Certainly large numbers of scientists had gone to work in America and contact with many was lost, even by relatives. Also there was considerable scientific worry about the greenhouse effect on the future of the Earth even in 1977.

Anglia Television eventually stated that the film had been released as an April Fool Spoof which is very interesting bearing in mind that the programme was first shown On television on June, 20th.

The series SCIENCE REPORT was a regular feature on British Television and had always previously dealt with serious science topics.

The best way to keep secrets is to match fact with fiction as was done in this case and total confusion prevailed. But the reader must by this time realise that the greenhouse effect is now taking place with growing vigour and weather patterns have been changing dramatically, so is the film just the work of practical jokers or was something more sinister in mind.

"250,000 children disappeared in the USA"

According to the BBC World News in 1982 - 250,000 children disappeared in the USA, also in 1982 about 2000,000 people disappeared in the USA without trace and Tens of thousands of people have gone missing in many other countries. Obviously murders and other domestic reasons will account for a high number, but will not by any means account for many thousands. Perhaps our alien friends are also helping themselves to a few thousand per year.

Having read this article you will form your own conclusions as to what is the truth and what is fiction but remember that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Tony Dodd.