Leeds named as one of UK's official UFO hotspots as northern cities 'more likely' to record sightings

The study of 2,000 adults found that nationally, almost half (48 per cent) believe aliens exist and 10 per cent think they’ve witnessed something out of the ordinary, with six in 10 (59 per cent) of these believing it was alien in origin. The research was commissioned by National Geographic, ahead of the launch of new documentary series UFO’s: Investigating the Unknown, which airs on the channel from Tuesday 2 May at 8pm.

Viewers will be taken on a journey to uncover the truth behind the mysterious UFO phenomena that has captivated humanity for generations, as the top-secret Pentagon programme on UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) of the US government is exposed.

Leeds recorded the sixth-most UFO sightings of all cities in the UK, according to the National Geographic study. Edinburgh was the UK’s top UFO hotspot, with 18 per cent of residents in the Scottish city convinced they’ve had a legitimate sighting.

Nick Pope, who investigated UFOs for the Ministry of Defence, said: “UFOs are big news now, and a lot of people are reporting - and sometimes filming - extraordinary things. While many people are convinced these sightings involve alien life, most cases turn out to be misidentifications.

“The chances are that there's intelligent life elsewhere in the universe, and even though the vast distances make direct contact a challenge, encountering an alien civilization would be the biggest story in human history.”

The study found that cities in the north were much more likely to harbour UFO spotters – with just Bristol and London appearing in the top 10, from down south. Three in 10 (31 per cent) of all adults polled per cent believe humankind will at some point make contact with aliens from another planet or galaxy.

With Londoners most likely to believe in this eventuality, followed by those in Newcastle. UFO-believers in Leicester also most often believe they’ve found actual evidence or had an experience proving the existence of aliens.

Of those who do believe in UFOs, 26 per cent just have a ‘gut feeling’ telling them it’s so. Another 12 per cent find it comforting to believe there’s other alien species out there just waiting to be discovered.

But if aliens asked their earthling counterparts to join the Galactic Federation – a supposed alliance of extra-terrestrial civilisations within the Milky Way - most Brits would want Sir David Attenborough representing the third planet from the sun. Second on the list was Professor Brian Cox, with Barack Obama placing third, according to the OnePoll.com data.

Nick Pope added: “Once again, Sir David Attenborough has been selected as representing the very best of humanity. He’s spent his life exploring and showcasing the furthest reaches of Planet Earth, so it’s no surprise he’s topped the poll for who’d be best to make first contact with ETs. Maybe he should move to Edinburgh, where the most people claim to have seen a UFO – he might just get his chance.”