Ilkley Moor witnessed a strange encounter this week when a Ben Rhydding ufologist met up with a former pop star.

Music fans from the early 1980s will remember how Toyah Willcox burst onto the scene with hits such as It's A Mystery.

The 1990s somewhat less punky and outrageous Toyah headed for the wilds of Ilkley moor on a chilly Tuesday morning for a spot of

filming.

Toyah was in town to investigate mysteries of a different kind on a chilly Tuesday morning.

She took time out from filming for BBC 1's Heaven and Earth show to chat to the Gazette.

She said Ilkley would form part of a feature on legends in the Sunday morning show. "There is a lot of mystery surrounding Ilkley moor and we are particularly

looking at sightings of a mystery black dog," she said.

She said the programme would investigate whether many of these so called sightings had social explanations.

This is where Toyah and her team needed a bit of expert help and advice with regard to the mysteries of the moor.

Ben Rhydding's ufologist Nigel Mortimer (above) explained several of the most famous tales connected with the moor.

Indeed filming took place in the very spot where a little green

creature supposedly came into contact with an Ilkley policeman - an encounter which is famous across the world.

The television presenter, who also appears on children's television (younger viewers will recognise her as one of the voices behind the Teletubbies) and the Holiday programme, said: "I really love things connected with UFOs. I think many of my songs had more to do with UFOs than romance."

She said this was not her first visit to Ilkley but was delighted to be back.

Mr Mortimer, while taking part in the programme to offer his 'mystery' expertise, did cause a gasp of delight from the singer/presenter when he admitted to owning several of her records in his collection.

"I hope the show offers something to people who aren't necessarily religious. It is more about mind, body and spirit," said Toyah, who co-presents the show with Kevin Woodford.

The Heaven and Earth team stayed at the Cow and Calf, allowing them easy access to the moor, where Mr Mortimer also explained the numerous mystery sightings surrounding White Wells.

Ilkley Moor has become a magnet for film and television crews over the years. Everything from Monty Python's Flying Circus to Sean Bean's Sharpe have been shot on the moor.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.