Page 33 - 201002 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - February 2010

February 2010_june_july_2009.qxd 18/02/2010 9:04 AM Page 33 Aliens Have Landed... 33 Aliens have landed . . . rumours spread through village after teachers forget to reveal story was made up thisbristol.co.uk Friday, January 29 2010 IT WAS said they came from outer space, landed on the local school playing field and caused TVs and clocks in the village to go haywire. Scorch marks – possibly caused by space rocket engines – and strange debris littered the site, adding weight to the theory that the eyes of the world could soon be on a small village near Bristol. Music fans of a certain age may have been reminded of the Stackridge album Purple Spaceships Over Yatton but in reality it was more like the famous War of the Worlds hoax of had leapt forward an hour and all the televisions Indie horror 1938 when a radio broadcast of the HG Wells had changed channel simultaneously. story caused panic as people thought it was real. The Evening Post received reports of the Paranormal Activity This time reports that little green men incident and contacted the school, only for it to had touched down at the Yatton Junior School be revealed the "visit" was an elaborate story, sparks complaints had been started by a seemingly innocent class made up as part of a school project. CBC News literacy project. Year 6 teacher Phil Okeden, who co- Teachers made up the story of an alien ordinated the event, said: "The students are craft landing on the playing fields as part of a learning newspaper report writing skills and the The low-budget horror film Paranormal project to teach students newspaper report idea was to create a story for them to investigate Activity may have found wild success in North writing skills. and write about. America, but it has sparked anger from parents Ninety Year 6 students were told about "Steve and I set the scene and went out and even some politicians in Italy. the alien visit, which took place on Tuesday after school in the dark to create the circles on Emergency services personnel reported night, in class on Wednesday morning. the field using a blow torch and lighter fluid. receiving dozens of calls from moviegoers But some of the teachers forgot to reveal "We also made some alien matter out of suffering panic attacks sparked by the film, to students the story was untrue once classes solder and iron oxide, and dotted it around the which debuted in Italian cinemas last weekend. finished, prompting them to go home and tell area. The most severe incident involved a 14- family and friends that aliens had made a "Steve created a picture of the spaceship year-old girl who was hospitalized "in a state of fleeting night-time visit to the school. The on the computer and we asked our local PCSO paralysis," a spokesman told Italy's ANSA news rumour has spread through the village like to come in to school so she could talk to the agency. wildfire, with everyone talking about the visit students about the investigation and answer Presented as if it were actual amateur from outer space. questions." video footage, Paranormal Activity chronicles a The youngsters, aged 10 and 11, were The students will now put together a young couple's attempt to record evidence of the told how school caretaker Steve Chard had been newspaper report about the incident as part of supernatural presence haunting their home. called to the school after the alarms went off at their coursework. Made by filmmaker Oren Peli for just $15,000 11.15pm. Mr Okeden, 45, said: "Although not all US, it has earned more than $100 million US When he arrived, he saw three large, still of the students were convinced, most were. since being widely released in 2009. smouldering, circles in a triangle shape on the "I must admit I did forget to mention to Italian parents groups have criticized school field. students that the story was fabricated at the end officials for not giving the film a rating that Blobs of silver-coloured "alien matter" of the lesson. included age restrictions. They are calling for were also discovered at different locations "The whole project was aimed at officials to allow only those over the age of 18 around the field. stimulating young people to write. to watch it, citing similar restrictions for the Students heard reports of how television "All I can think is they went home and film's release in North America and other sets in local homes had blown up due to a power told family and friends, and that is how the story countries, such as the U.K., Germany and The surge and some people had electricity supplies circulated. Netherlands. interrupted by the UFO. "We have never had any extraterrestrial Paranormal Activity is also being They were also told how Mr Chard, 44, visits to the school, so the story must have been promoted regularly on Italian television. cordoned off the area and informed the police. pretty convincing." "For the past two weeks [the movie's] Village police community support PCSO Turner said: "I can confirm that trailer has been shown obsessively on TV and is officer Kate Turner was then called to the there was no alien landing at the school, but the terrifying thousands of children," Italian school to investigate the incident and talk to the children obviously believed the story. Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa told children. "Obviously we all told the tale far too reporters. The students were also shown a picture well." "It's a terrible thing," he said. "I took – allegedly captured by an eagle-eyed villager – notice because my seven-year-old son told me, of the saucer-shaped craft hovering over the The ‘X’ Zone Radio Show 'Daddy, I'm scared.' " school and beaming a bright shaft of light onto with your host Culture Minister Sandro Bondi said his the playing fields. Rob McConnell office had been flooded with complaints about The Chinese whispers that followed Celebrating 18 Years on Radio the film and that he was considering measures even led to claims all the clocks in the village www.xzoneradiotv.com to protect children.