Not End Of World As Apocalyse Deadline Passes

The world has not ended despite an American evangelist claiming the apocalypse was coming on Saturday.

The 6pm deadline in the UK passed without any apparent incidents.

Harold Camping, leader of Family Radio Worldwide , believed "beyond the shadow of a doubt" the day of judgment was upon us.

He was adamant the Rapture - a belief that Jesus Christ will return and take the faithful to heaven ahead of the unleashing of hell on Earth - would begin at 6pm local time in each of the world's regions.

The 89-year-old retired civil engineer from California said he had "absolute proof" of the time and date thanks to the Bible.

"Beyond the shadow of a doubt, May 21 will be the date of the Rapture and the day of judgment," he was quoted as saying in January.

"Because the year 2011 AD is exactly 7,000 years after 4990 BC when the flood began, the Bible has given us absolute proof that the year 2011 is the end of the world during the Day of Judgment," the website of Family Radio says.

"Amazingly, May 21, 2011 is the 17th day of the second month of the Biblical calendar of our day.

"Remember, the flood waters also began on the 17th day of the 2nd month, in the year 4990 BC," it adds.

Camping claimed that come 6pm, a powerful earthquake would be felt before all the noble spirits were transported off the earth.

Everyone left behind would then suffer until October 21, when God would pull the plug on entire planet.

But radical American preachers do not have the best of reputations - and Camping was no different, having predicted the apocalypse before... in 1994.

Bookies William Hill had said it would accept bets of any amount at any odds for those wanting to wager on the end of the world.

"We often take bets on the end of the world and we always allow customers to choose their own odds - after all, we don't have to worry about paying them out," said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

"Unless it transpires that there are bookies in the hereafter."