A YOUTUBE channel focusing on the weird and wonderful that was set up last year has reached its first million views.

The Wonderful World of Weirdness – a forum for all aspects of the paranormal, including ghosts, UFOs and strange beasts – was launched last year by John Clarke of Blaenporth, near Cardigan.

Since then, the channel, originally set up as a platform to post videos that were shared by people on Face­book, has drawn a worldwide following.

John, 52, made his first video in June 2016 and has since teamed up with childhood pal Julian Murphy, a musician and author who now lives near Carmarthen.

It is Julian who provides the creepy music accompanying the channel’s videos.

John said the success of the project had taken them both by surprise.

“I never expected it to be such a success,” he said.

“The first I knew something was happening was when one of my compilation videos drew 107,000 views overnight.”

He said he formed the idea for the channel while caring for his two-year-old child while his partner went back to work.

“I couldn’t bear the idea of just sitting around all day,” he recalled. “I had a bit of an interest in the paranormal, but I’m not an investigator.

“I’ve had to teach myself, and to upload these videos and to get to a million views so quickly is amazing.”

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