OXFORD was built to resemble a giant flying saucer about 4,000 years ago...by tribes inspired by visitors from MARS!

That's the amazing claim of mathematician Michael Soper who says the city was designed in the image of a UFO by people inspired at seeing alien life-forms.

The maths tutor insists nomads built landmarks like Oxford to match the shape of a group of stars, known as The Great Hunter - possibly to try and communicate with Martians.

He said: "I am convinced that intelligent life forms went from the moon to Mars and back to earth, and I think the earth was in very ancient times changed to make it habitable.

The mathematician, who has spent seven years developing his theory, insists Oxford was built to mirror one of three stars, known collectively as the Belt of Orion, in about 1,500 BC.

The other two stars in the belt are represented by Stonehenge and Maiden Castle, in Dorset. Mr Soper, of Ouseley Close, Marston, says images of the constellations are also found on Egyptian stone monuments.

And the design of Oxford as an enormous UFO, matches a blueprint of a flying saucer allegedly handed to author George Adamski by aliens in 1951.

Mr Soper, a member of the UFO society Contact International, has long held the view that crop circles were designed by tribes fascinated by the stars.

County archaeologist Paul Smith said: "It is a nice little fantasy, but the design of Oxford comes from the fact that it is a medieval walled town. Oval shapes are the norm for medieval walled towns.

"His theory about Oxford does not have any foundation at all. This is pie in the sky."

Our artist's impression shows the city of Oxford beneath the flying saucer used in the smash-hit film Independence Day.

Do you have a bizarre theory about how Oxford was created? Write to The Editor, Oxford Mail, Newspaper House, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0EJ. Or you can e-mail us on nqonews@nqo.com

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