ALIEN PLAGUE GERMS FOUND ON SPACE STATION

A KILLER death plague could be about to strike Earth from outer space, boffins fear.

The alert comes after scientists analysing samples taken from the hull of the International Space Station found BUGS that could not have come from our planet.

That means the germs must have come from elsewhere in the Universe.

The samples have since been locked down in a secure underground vault as experts fear they could lead to an alien SUPER PLAGUE that could wipe out all life on Earth.

One scientist, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said: “A bug that could cause nothing more than a sniffle or a tummy ache in a space alien could prove fatal to humans, who have no natural resistance.

“These bacteria could attack a food crop – such as wheat or rice – and cause starvation and worldwide rioting.

“Civilisation could collapse within weeks.”

Spacewalkers take samples and materials from the outside of the space station when they head for “extravehicular activity”.

Those samples are taken to scientists on Earth, who study them to try and understand the workings of the International Space Station – and possibly life in space.

Anton Shkaplerov, a Russian cosmonaut who has served on board the space lab, leaked news of the bacteria discovery to Russian news agency TASS.