Um Bongo: Not connected with Ukip politician Godfrey Bloom
Um Bongo: Not connected with Ukip politician Godfrey Bloom

Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom's 'bongo bongo land' rant has unexpectedly triggered a hilarious case of unintended consequences.

The Europhobic politician sparked outcry in some sections of the Press for describing countries which get foreign aid from Britain as 'Bongo Bongo land.'

His remarks triggered an investigation "at the very highest levels" of Ukip, which today resulted in a grovelling apology from Bloom for causing offence.

But on the wacky world of the internet, Bloom's message has morphed in to something completely different.

Web users have been flooding in their droves to the website of Um Bongo - a colourful fruit juice for children from the 1980s.

Web servers hosting Um Bongo's site struggled to cope as demand surged to ten times its normal level, as more people than usual logged on and the word 'bongo' was sent viral.

Um Bongo is fondly remembered by kids from the 1980s for its catchy cartoon advert containing the lyrics "Um Bongo, Um Bongo, they drink it in the Congo."

Bask in nostalgia by watching the orignial advert, plus song, here.

Today's episode seems to have shown many Twitter users and Godfrey Bloom exist on very different wavelengths from one another.

An Um Bongo spokesman told IBTimes UK: "Social media mentions for the brand have gone through the roof today and there is clearly a great deal of nostalgia out there."

The furore over Bloom's outburst also produced another amusing side note, as the Yorkshire MEP suffered the indignity of being ostracised by a soft drink.

Um Bongo distanced itself from Bloom's comments - before he finally did so himself by issuing an apology.

A spokesman said: "Um Bongo has no political affiliations at all, although all our owners are keen environmentalists.

"We're proud to say that Um Bongo is alive and well and being made under license in Bridgwater, Somerset with the kind permission of the orang-utans, rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses that own the brand."