A small group of pensioners sat nibbling sandwiches and fruit cake from their lunch boxes, apparently oblivious to the fact that Armageddon could be on its way.

This was the scene at the Deepdale Community Centre, Boston Spa, near Wetherby, during a break in the Christian rally entitled Backing Cliff, which put forward the theory that singer Sir Cliff Richard is a modern-day prophet of doom serving an "Elijah ministry" as we hurtle towards the end of the world.

But Iain McGregor, Bible teacher, ex-Fleet Street journalist and source of the theory, seemed unshaken by the small turn-out and its seeming dismissal of his idea.

Derrick Hardwick, 72, a member of Mr McGregor's Boston Spa-based religious group Forthtell, was fairly vocal in his response, when asked if he agreed with the theory."Do I thump!" he said. "I don't think it's worth a second glance." And Christine Banner, 42, a writer for the Worcester Cliff Richard fan club, and member of singing group Trinity, also appearing at the event, was sceptical.

"I haven't really looked into all this. I thought at first the detail was misleading because it looked to me that it was about reincarnation. I'm just here to give my story."

But Mr McGregor did not seem worried, perhaps because of the interest he had received from the great man himself, who had allegedly requested a tape of the rally's proceedings.

According to Mr McGregor, the request had come along with another that it be made clear the prophet theory was not "Cliff hype originating with himself".

Mr McGregor developed the theory when Cliff released his Christmas hit Millennium Prayer, which sets the words of the Lord's Prayer to the tune of Auld Lang Syne.

"The Lord's Prayer is a blueprint for society and Cliff sang it to the tune of Auld Lang Syne, which is an international anthem," said Mr McGregor.

"And as he got into the pop charts with it he's brought it to the fore. In a sense, by even singing it, he's become a prophet to the nation."

"I believe Cliff is exercising an Elijah ministry. In other words, he can be a prophet of doom with a true commentary on the state of the nation before the second coming of Christ."

But in terms of Armageddon itself, we should perhaps not panic yet, as Mr McGregor says the Internet will act as the harbinger of doom with Elijah appearing on screens.

One woman left very disappointed having attended the event under the impression that Sir Cliff would be appearing in person.