Now this bizarre online pasttime is providing Newton-le-Willows' most famous export, Rick Astley, with the kind of comeback not even the wisest chart sage could have predicted.

Rickrolling was first picked up by internet bloggers but now even anti-Scientology protesters have seized upon Astley's blue-eyed pop-soul classic 'Never Gonna Give You Up' to provide a wonderfully weird soundtrack to a whole host of inappropriate moments.

Often the song and camp accompanying video have been spliced together with a whole host of conflicting footage, such as scenes of Adolf Hitler speech roughly lip-synced with lyrics from Astley's song.

False links posted on celebrity gossip websites promise access to sought after internet items - such as Mariah Carey's latest saucy video or footage of Britney Spears' latest freakout - but which instead reveal the song's video.

Internet sufers hoping for a glimpse of celebrity skin instead find themselves watching Astley, wearing a huge pair of sunglasses, dancing alongside two blonde women while a barman carries off sporadic back-flips in the background.

Protesters from the world-wide Anti-Scientology Anyonymous Movement have also seized upon the cheesy disco favourite, blasting it out as they gather to protest, placards and all, outside Scientology churches across the world.

The man himself is taking the weird and wacky tribute movement philosophically.

"It's a bit spooky, innit?" said Astley, speaking to the LA Times about the strange way his 1987 chart-topping hit has been subverted.

"I think it's just one of those odd things where something gets picked up and people run with it," he said.

"But that's what brilliant about the Internet."

Rickrolling has slowly gathered momentum over the last year or so as 'Never Gonna Give You Up' has been mocked, praised and re-hashed, and the original video viewed millions of times on YouTube.

For his part, Astley thinks the Anti-Scientology protesters' use of the song is "hilarious" but has no plans to capitalise on it's resurgence with a remix or re-release of his own.

He said: ""I don't really know whether I want to be doing that, I'm not being an ageist, but it's almost a young person's thing, that.

"I think the artist themselves trying to remix it is almost a bit sad.

"No, I'm too old for that. Listen, I just think it's bizarre and funny. My main consideration is that my daughter doesn't get embarrassed about it."