German Police Seek Identity Of Forest Boy

Police in Germany are trying to identify an English-speaking teenager who claims he has spent the past five years living rough in woods.

The youth, apparently 17 years old, claims he has lost his memory.

He appeared on September 5 at Berlin's city hall and was then taken in by a youth emergency centre.

He told police his father took him to live in the forest following his mother's death in a car crash and that they used tents and dug holes to sleep in.

The youth explained how he used a compass to get out of the woods after his father died in a fall two weeks ago.

The boy told authorities his father called him Ray but he did not recall his last name.

He says he does not remember where the family came from and claims he followed his compass north, eventually arriving in Berlin.

Police spokesman Michael Maass said: "He said that he had lived for the last five years wandering around with his father."

The teenager speaks fluent English and only a few words of German and appears to be in good health, Mr Maass said.

Police have issued a Europe-wide appeal to try and determine his identity.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of these reports and we are looking into them."

In 2005 the Piano Man was found wandering through the streets of Sheerness, Kent.

For months he remained uncommunicative except for showing his accomplished pianist skills.

He was eventually identified as 20-year-old Andreas Grassl from Germany.