Rio de Janeiro - A burnt rubber doll has been mistaken for a badly injured alien and taken to a hospital in Brazil.

The incident happened after people in Aracruz found a burnt "body" on the ground after seeing a fireball fall from the sky.

A police spokesperson told Terra Noticias Populares: "Many people were terrified, thinking that an alien invasion was taking place.

"They thought the doll was a burnt ET and more than 50 people called the station."

The "alien" was taken to the local hospital, where doctors soon confirmed it was a burnt rubber doll.

A hospital spokesperson said: "It was obviously a practical joke but we wonder who would do that in such a small and quiet town." - Ananova.com