Alien abductions, once lauded as proof of a genuine alien presence on Earth, are now largely a thing of the past. But, as with all elements of ufology, the abduction craze had its ‘big’ cases – and few were as big as the Andreasson affair. Beginning in 1967, Betty Andreasson, together with members of her family, claimed they had been in regular contact with alien beings. Betty’s experiences, which began in childhood, include the usual trips on board a spacecraft (see illustration) and medical examinations, all laced with religious and mythological symbolism.

No evidence, for or against, has been forthcoming to explain or debunk the mystery, which has been chronicled in several books by investigator Raymond Fowler, who believes that extraterrestrials have visited the family.