THE identity of 'Piano Man' has now been circulated in the national media, although German embassy officials have refused to confirm it.

The mystery man has been named as 20-year-old Andreas Grassl, from the village of Prosdorf in Germany.

The man, who became the world's most famous person following a worldwide appeal for his identity, flew back to his country on Saturday.

After four months of not uttering a word the man, who stayed at Little Brook Hospital in Dartford, finally spoke on Friday to arrange with German embassy officials a flight home.

The German embassy in London had acknowledged the mystery man had finally spoken and left for home but spokesman Michael Fluegger refused to confirm his name.

He said: "Despite what has been reported we still have a duty to protect his identity. This is under German law concerning data protection."

West Kent NHS and Social Care Trust has also consistently refused to comment on the grounds of patient confidentiality.

It stuck only to a brief statement confirming that he had left their care after his condition improved.

'Piano Man' has been an enigma ever since he was first discovered wandering on a beach on the Isle of Sheppey on April 7.

It has never been made certain why he had come to Kent in the first place and when he was found he had no identification and could not speak to say who he was.

But he earned his nickname when he stunned staff at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, where he was first cared for, with his piano playing.

The National Missing Persons Helpline got involved in trying to trace his identity and but despite hundreds of calls in response nobody could confirm who he was.

The mystery of his identity was only finally solved when he confirmed it to Little Brook Hospital last Friday.

The man, whose name has not yet been officially confirmed, has attracted a frenzy of worldwide media interest since he was first found wandering on the beach at Sheppey on April 7.

He was taken into Little Brook Hospital in Dartford and during his months of care he did not utter a word.

Global appeals to identify him let to more than 1,000 calls and emails suggesting his identity.

Earlier leads, suggesting he was a Czech or French musician, came to nothing.

The mystery man was nicknamed Piano Man after it was reported that he had stunned staff at Medway Maritime Hospital, where he first stayed, with a virtuoso musical performance.

He also drew a sketch of a grand piano.