A SOURCE of mystery, intrigue and intense debate for two decades, Wiltshire's crop circles are firmly established as an international phenomenon.

But the recent US release of Hollywood blockbuster Signs, starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, is set to make the county a hot-spot for American tourists.

Director and writer M Night Shyamalan's film has heralded a new wave of interest in the crop circle enigma.

Signs is expected to ignite a similar flood of interest this side of the pond when the film gets its long-awaited release today.

The Wiltshire Times was the first British newspaper to publish a picture of a crop circle when three round shapes appeared in a field of oats under the gaze of the Westbury White Horse in 1980.

Believed by many to be cast-iron proof of extra terrestrial contact, the finding launched an unprecedented response from self-confessed 'croppies', with the number of circles appearing in Wiltshire fields increasing year on year.

Many experts believe Wiltshire's rich treasure chest of ancient sites is the reason why the county has become a magnet for crop circles.

But a bitter war still rages between genuine crop circle researchers and a clan of secretive yet highly skilled fanatics, dubbed the circlemakers, who claim to be behind some of the world's most elaborate and complex designs.

Alton Barnes, near Devizes, attracts international interest every summer. Some of the world's most spectacular circles have been discovered in fields close to the tiny hamlet.

The nearby Barge Inn at Honeystreet has become the focal point for fans of all things mystical. The pub's back room is dedicated to the crop circle and UFO phenomenon with some of the world's most infamous circlemakers rumoured to frequent the bar.

US videographer Peter Sorenson has dedicated the past 15 years of his life to studying crop circles.

Captivated by close encounters with strange balls of light at Woodborough Hill, Alton Barnes in the early 1990s, he visits the village often.

Peter, initially a subscriber to the extra-terrestrial school of thinking, said his change of views have been criticised by high-profile researchers.

He has been branded a turncoat CIA agent hell-bent on debunking the UFO crop circle theory, but Peter now believes all the complex and elaborate designs are manmade.

"I started out as a believer," he said. "I first thought the circles were the work of angels. But gradually over the years I found out how these things are done.

"I began to speak to some of the artists. They pretty much keep themselves to themselves. Believers can be quite vicious in protecting their ideas and intensely dislike the circlemakers.

"Unfortunately most of the researchers don't talk to me now. I am a turncoat because I was somebody who was one of them and I then changed my mind. They can't believe I came to the conclusion logically.

"I am a spiritual person and think there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. Many people believe extra-terrestrials create the circles as a message to humanity. I believe humans are inspired to create the circles, which act as a message from above."

Peter claims to have experienced two encounters with strange ball and column-like lights in the last 10 years.

He believes the circles have some hidden mystical meaning, which has the power to change lives and even humanity.

He said: "I am still in love with the circles and still experience a lot of magic surrounding them.

"Whether I am right or wrong about the cause of the crop circles they have affected millions of people worldwide. Most believe they're just a joke but they have to appreciate their unique beauty. Thousands believe the phenomenon is utterly mysterious and it has caused most of us to reassess our lives."

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