Germany's mystery 'forest boy' 'is hoaxer'

A youth who turned up in Berlin last year saying he had been staying in woods for years is a Dutch 20-year-old who was living in the Netherlands until last September, German police say.

They say his Dutch stepmother identified him from police photos. His real name is said to be Robin.

He called himself "Ray" and was dubbed the "forest boy" by German media.

He had said he and his father had lived in the woods for five years, following the death of his mother in a car crash.

"Ray" told police he had left the forest after his father died and he had buried the body.

But officers failed to locate the remains and said they had doubts about the story.

It is not clear why he left the Netherlands and ended up in Berlin.

He spoke only English and a few words of German at the time, but quickly picked up the language.

German news agency DPA says he was last seen in the Dutch town of Hengelo in September - just days before he surfaced in Berlin.

A Dutch school friend told Dutch television that the man had "personal problems".