Vital clues over 'Piano Man' 16 May 2005
A helpline set up to identify a mystery man who stunned carers by giving a virtuoso piano performance has been inundated with calls, his social worker said today.
The man has not uttered a word since police picked him up walking aimlessly on the streets of Sheerness, Kent, dressed in a dripping wet suit and tie.
All efforts to communicate with the shy and agitated man, aged in his 20s or early 30s, have failed, leaving experts baffled as to his identity and where he is from.
Staff at the Medway Maritime Hospital gave him a pen and paper in the hope he might write his name or even draw his country's flag.
Instead the patient, dubbed the Piano Man, drew highly detailed pictures of a grand piano, showing not only the keys but also the intricate inner workings of the instrument.
His social worker, Michael Camp, showed him a piano in the hospital chapel and to his amazement the man delivered a stunning, two-hour performance of classical playing. Since then, he has written music, but remains mute.
The man's identity is a mystery.
Mr Camp said today: "The Missing Persons Helpline has been inundated with calls. It's a fantastic response.
Mr Camp said someone had called local police and given the name and address of who they believe the "Piano Man" may be.
He said: "A name has been given of a possible person from the Sussex area. I haven't been able to phone the person that phoned in to check it out."
He added: "We had one of these before, from the local area, and it sounded promising but ... people start to think 'It might be this person that we know' and it doesn't quite materialise. We'll just have to wait and see."