A canoeist from UK, who authorities believed was dead, turned up alive - five-and-a-half years later and around 360km (apx. 255 miles) from where he was seen last.

In March of 2002 a red canoe, belonging to John Darwin, was found wrecked on the seafront near his home of Seaton Carew, Hartlepool in Northern England.

Despite an extensive search, no trace was found of the missing prison officer and he was presumed dead by everyone, including his wife and his two sons.

This, until he walked into a police station in London on Saturday evening and told officers that he was a missing person.

John Darwin’s father, Ronald Darwin always believed that his son would turn up, UK’s Press Association reported in comments.

Darwin said that he believed his son to have suffered amnesia, caused when he was hit by a car at the age of four or five.

John Darwin, who is staying with relatives in southeastern England, has been reunited with his grown-up sons, Anthony and Mark, the agency reported, although his wife Anne is believed to have since sold the family home and emigrated.