Crop circle investigators are preparing for their annual conference in Marlborough as 2009 shapes up for a bumper season of formations.

Speakers from all over the world will be attending the conference at Marlborough College on August 8 and 9 to share their theories on how and why the designs appear.

Clare Oatley of the Wiltshire Crop Circle Study Group, which is organising the conference, said: “The conference has been running for 14 years and each year new and popular speakers are found to delight their audience.

“This year is no exception. There are crop circle researchers coming from Holland, France and of course the UK, fascinating speakers talking about local lay lines and the discovery of ancient pyramids in Bosnia.”

Wiltshire, and particularly the triangle bounded by Devizes, Marlborough and Pewsey, is a hot spot for crop formations. Last year between April and September 77 crop circles appeared in Wiltshire alone.

So far this year 14 designs have been reported in Wiltshire in oilseed rape and, more recently, barley, more than ever before at this stage in the season. Ms Oatley said: “Year after year the designs amaze researchers and enthusiasts who come in their thousands from all over the world to visit them.”

Conference tickets are available from the Wiltshire Crop Circle Study Group’s website at www.wccsg.com or by phoning (01380) 739966.