Cyndi from Arizona is a former NASA computer specialist, while Sarah Capewell from Worcestershire studies quantum physics in her spare time.

They're sensible, well educated women with families, the kind you're used to exchanging pleasantries with at the school gates - yet they're proponents of a baffling conspiracy theory, that the earth is flat.

Amazingly, the theory is gaining momentum with hundreds of websites and groups dedicated to investigating the true shape of Earth, and on Facebook alone, there are at least 50 groups, some with tens of thousands of members.

Flat-Earthers used to mostly be male, but recently there's been a fresh influx of women from all over the world becoming involved.

The basic premise of the belief is that the earth is not a spinning ball in space and according to FE disciples, there isn't, and never has been, any scientific proof of a globe earth.

NASA images of earth from space are not evidence enough as most of the pictures of the seemingly spherical planet are composites or CGI, which NASA freely admits on its website.

And the women insist that the powers that be have lied about the shape of the earth to hide valuable resources.

Cyndi Holland from Arizona worked for NASA in the 1990s as a computer specialist contractor and believes the earth is flat

Sarah Capewell, 38, from Worcestershire devotes her spare time to studying quantum physics and has also beenbecome involved in the Flat Earth Female movement

Sarah Capewell, 38, from Worcestershire now moderates a Facebook group where the members have become like family to her.

The group is one of hundreds of similar groups and focuses solely on Flat Earth: the theory that Earth is not a sphere but a flat plane.

'I've always found that the explanations I've been given about the earth, its shape and how it works – at school and via the media – haven't sat comfortably with me, but I didn't give it much thought,' says Sarah, who studies quantum physics in her spare time.

'I've never really trusted any governments but it wasn't until the 9/11 attacks – which I saw live on TV and knew straight away that what I was seeing didn't make sense - that I started really looking into it.

FLAT EARTH FEMALE BELIEFS? Those who believe in the Flat Earth model, insist that: · Our system is geocentric, not heliocentric (i.e. the sun, moon and stars go around the earth, not the other way round) · There's no such thing as gravity · The earth does not spin at 1000mph; in fact, it doesn't move at all · The sun is not 93 million miles away but much closer · Antarctica is not the continent it appears to be but an ice ring that encircles the flat earth · The moon and sun are roughly the same size · The moon is not 237,000 miles away but sits at about 3,000 miles up · There is some kind of barrier (some call it a dome or firmament) above the earth, making the earth an enclosed system · That we've been lied to by the authorities for 500 years · That most pictures and videos provided by government agency NASA are CGI fakes Advertisement

'I spent some time researching government agencies including NASA and discovered that almost everything they tell us is fabricated.

'All the images of earth from space are just CGI cartoons. It even says on the NASA website that all the 'photos' of earth are Photoshopped composites.

'That made me want to find out what the earth really looks like. After almost two year's worth of research, I am now 100 per cent certain that the earth is NOT a spinning ball in space.'

Sarah said that being a female in the male-dominated Flat Earth world makes her want to share what she knows with other women.

Sonha Moamaori, a stay-at-home mum of four from France and now living in Australia, says she's done her research and is 'convinced' we've been lied to

Lou Barron, 40, from Mississippi always felt there was something 'wrong' with the globe earth model (left). Angela Kay, 49, from Alaska believes governments are hiding access to precious natural resources (right)

'I feel it's my mission in a way to bring other women into the 'fold'. Having said that, I don't talk to many of my female friends, colleagues or relatives about my beliefs.

'Most of them just don't get it and all are too quick to judge even when they know nothing about it. I'll discuss it if someone asks me about it or if they're genuinely interested in learning.

'But if they just want to poke fun, then there's no point having a conversation. You can't force the information on people. I think I'm going to have to let my girl friends discover this important stuff for themselves.'

Angela Kay, 49, a bartender from Nikiski in Alaska agrees that 'the government lies about everything'.

The Flat Earth movement was almost exclusively male but in the past few years increasing numbers of women have been drawn in

'Since I realised that, I've researched the possible reasons for the lie and now I know the truth,' she said.

'The main one of course is money and greed. Amongst other things, they lie about the shape of the earth in order to hide the existence of a whole lot of land and resources we all should be sharing.'

Lou Barron, 40, from Mississippi was first attracted to the flat earth theory out of curiosity but found herself being drawn in.

'I found it intriguing at first because I like to explore new ideas and the more research I did vs. the Globe model, the more it made sense,' she explained.

'I always felt something was wrong with the concept of the globe model as it was presented, so I was much more willing to check out the Flat Earth system. Never went back to globe after that.'

Cyndi back in the 1990s when she worked for NASA as a computer specialist

Lou is not alone. Amongst the thousands of members in Facebook FE groups, there are women of all ages, from all walks of life, mums, daughters, grandmothers, who claim that the earth isn't what we've been taught it is.

Sonha Moamaori, a stay-at-home mum of four from France and now living in Australia, first came across the subject when she spotted one of flat-earth guru Eric Dubay's videos on YouTube.

'All the stuff he said made total sense,' she said. 'I'm very aware of how everything works - the more lies they feed the public, the more power they have – but I didn't know much about this.

'But the more I researched, the more I was convinced. The hard part is to make everyone else around you open their eyes without being called crazy.'

Mother-of-four Cyndi became interested in the Flat Earth theory initially because of her religious beliefs

Cyndi Holland worked for NASA in the 1990s as a computer specialist contractor.

'In May of 2016, I was watching a video on YouTube and on the suggested watch side bar was a video entitled 75 Biblical Proofs Of Flat Earth. I watched it more out of curiosity, as I am very strong in my Biblical beliefs.

'From that day forward, I have been engrossed in researching the heliocentric model of our earth.

'I found that NASA has been giving us fake information as well as CGI images. Ironically, I worked for NASA as a contractor just out of college from 1996-2000.

The former NASA computer specialist insists that life now makes more sense to her

'I believe the earth is a flattish disc with a dome (firmament). I do not believe in outer space any longer. I spend my time being a mom and researching this truth among many others.

'Flat Earth has changed my life in amazing ways! I feel free and peaceful now, the Bible makes more sense, life makes more sense.

'I have clarity about most every aspect of life now. I am no longer political as I now believe it just a facade and part of the deception.

'God is more real than ever, He is literally above us, above the firmament just like the Bible describes.

I am much happier and spend more time admiring our skies than I ever have. I feel blessed to have this understanding. I plan to continue my research and share as much as I can to help wake others to our true cosmology.'