No, your eyes are not deceiving you. That is an astronaut on Folkestone beach.

The spaceman was spotted by several walkers out and about early yesterday morning.

Many seemed curious about why our intergalactic explorer was seen strolling on Sunny Sands beach.

But Folkestone film-maker Ben Barton has revealed all admitting he was behind the bemusement.

It was all part of one of his latest short films he is currently working on.

The film - which is being shot on 'super 8' cine film - is about a spaceman exploring a desolate planet.

"We tried to shoot as early as possible in the mornings.. but we still got spotted." Ben Barton

Footage has to be sent off to a lab for development and it is likely to be another month before the results are seen.

Other shoots have taken place elsewhere in Shepway including at the sound mirrors near Dungeness on Romney Marsh.

Folkestone-based Ben, who has produced a number of films including for the Folkestone Triennial, said: "We filmed along the beaches and other areas of the town.

"Our 'spaceman' was meant to be exploring a desolate planet, so we tried to shoot as early as possible in the mornings – it would be harder with a big crowd watching.

"But we still got spotted, and people wanted to know what on earth we were doing. It's not every day you see an astronaut wandering about!

"We used a replica NASA spacesuit, which are quite hard to get hold of – there's actually only a couple here in the UK.

"Just the week before, this very suit was being used on a music video shoot with a big music star. But I'm sworn to secrecy who it was, but let's just say he is well know for his space adventures.

"The breakwater and rocks at Mermaid Beach were a great backdrop and I got just what I wanted, right here in my home town.

"We have lots of great locations in this area, and quite a big community of directors and artists.

"It's actually a really great place to be a film maker."