Conspiracy theorists claim 1972 snap from Apollo 17 mission proves the moon landing was a FAKE - as a 'stagehand' is reflected in US spaceman's visor

A shock photo appears to show a man walking around the 'moon' without a space suit during the US's Apollo 17 mission - adding more fuel to the conspiracy that the whole thing was faked.

America has always claimed they put the first men on Earth's satellite planet when NASA beamed live video footage of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin supposedly taking their first steps there 48 years ago.

Doubters have always insisted that first mission was faked so the US could claim victory in the Space Race over Russia at the height of the Cold War.

Now fresh images have emerged that suggest that the sixth and final mission - Apollo 17 - some three years later was also faked.

The three man NASA crew - headed by Eugene Cerman - touched down on the moon and walked its surface, the official report said.

But a close-up analysis of one supposed image from the famous expedition that emerged this week suggests the whole enterprise was filmed on a Hollywood movie set.

A video that zooms in on the reflection of one of the astronaut's visors appears to show a man standing around in a "waistcoat", according to a YouTuber user who posted the footage.

He suggests the figure, which he says is a man with long hair that fits in with the style for men in 70s when Apollo 17 supposedly landed on the moon on December 7, 1972.

Conspiracy theorists are likely to seize on the video as proof that NASA's Apollo 17 was staged on a film set.

The US was under massive pressure to prove they could pip Russia to the post in its number of missions to the moon in the Cold War.

And their desperation to beat them has fuelled suspicions for nearly five decades that all their missions were faked.

YouTube user Streetcap1 posted the footage of the supposed photo - the source of which was not verified - just days ago.

He said: "This is from a moon photograph, a reflection from one of the astronaut's face visor, so I thought it looked a bit strange, so I took a picture of it using my software.

"What we appear to have here is a figure of a human, not wearing a space suit, circa early 70s. An Apollo 17 photograph.

"It looks like a man. Back in the early 70s. Long hair. Wearing some sort of waistcoat type thing.

"And a shadow of that figure, presumably," he said, focusing on a dark area in front of the supposed man.

He added: "There was a lot of debate over whether these photographs were faked. There's been a lot of debate, certainly this week on Facebook.

"[People] say we never made it to the moon, but I think we did. But this is starting to make me think, maybe not.

"Because, where's the guy's spacesuit?"

Users left comments below the video which showed their opinion was split over whether the image showed a man in a waistcoat.

Adrian Lee wrote: "Someone definitely there. Looks like they're wearing high top sneakers and a jacket with a hood."

Simone PleTon posted: "Well found Sir."

But Clint Steel wrote: "Looks like another astronaut." And Rusty Shakelford added: "If not an astronaut then another being in a spacesuit."

The shock photo emerged just two years after a video surfaced apparently showing Hollywood director Stanley Kubrick admitting he filmed the global phenomenon that was the Apollo II mission.

His family denied the interview was real.