Set up as a fan-zine in November 1973, Fortean Times has attained genuine cult status and is the first port of call for the rest of the media when it comes to subjects like UFOs, ghosts or conspiracy theories, says Dennis Publishing.

Over the past decade, it has widened its remit and now includes popular culture, a guide to the latest in weird films, games, TV and music, and an extensive book reviews section.

The fans make the magazine, many of whom have been reading Fortean Times for more than 40 years, say the publishers. A firm favourite is the “It Happened to Me!” section in which readers send in their own first-hand accounts of strange, scary or baffling things that have happened to them.

For its 400th issue Fortean Times is running a special feature called “Witnessed”, collecting a selection of the thousands of IHTM! letters that it’s received over the years. Highlights include:

The diver who met a Maltese mermaid

The vet from another dimension

The Teddy Boy time-slip

The school witch

The man from the sky

Chased by the Grim Reaper

David Sutton, Editor of Fortean Times said: "Reaching our 400th issue is a major achievement for Fortean Times – and doing so in the middle of a global pandemic has reminded us just how much we rely on our incredibly loyal readers, who have continued to scour the world's newspapers for curious stories, to send in fascinating and informative letters and to share their own strange experiences during what's been a difficult time for all of us. We've also been cheered by the many messages of support we've received – it really encourages us to keep going when people tell us they rely on Fortean Times for a monthly dose of sanity in a world that seems madder than ever!"

The issue also celebrates the part played by the brand’s online readership, with a history of the Fortean Times Message Boards, which brought the world of strange phenomena to the internet in the early 2000s.

The 400th issue will be on sale on the newsstand from Thursday 3rd December, priced at £4.60.