Tippecanoe and Darwin, too.

I love this story because there’s so much wrong with it! I’m waiting for the Lifetime Movie: “My Dead Husband’s Canoe Amnesia”? “Canoe to the Panama Canal”? And his name? Darwin!

Family of missing canoeist go into hiding

The family of the “back-from-the-dead” canoeist John Darwin were in hiding as the mystery into his disappearance deepened. The 57-year-old former prison officer walked into a police station in London on Saturday, five years after he was presumed dead at sea in a canoeing accident in Hartlepool, and claimed he knew nothing of what had happened to him.

Mr Darwin’s wife, Anne, who sold the family home and emigrated to Panama in September, is being traced by authorities but removed her details from websites. She is known to have an active internet connection in Panama City. Their two sons, Mark, 31, and Anthony, 29, are believed to be with their father at a house in Basingstoke.

They have declined offers from police to stage a press conference or release a statement.

Meanwhile Mr Darwin’s brother and father said they have still not heard from him - more than 48 hours since he went to police and told them: “I think I am a missing person”.

Speculation grew in the neighbourhood of Mr and Mrs Darwin’s last home, in Seaton Carew, Hartlepool.

Councillor David Young said: “It’s very strange.”

Cleveland Police have been drawing up a list of key questions they want to put to Mr Darwin to piece together the past five years before they question him.

It is not known if Mr Darwin’s life had been insured or if any money was claimed.

Police will check any life insurance policies and examine financial, phone and email records as part of their investigation.

Details of Mrs Darwin’s known address in Panama have also been passed to police and it is understood that Foreign Office officials are trying to contact her.

She sold two properties this year, the first for £160,000 and the second ? the family home ? for £295,000.

Mr Darwin’s aunt Margaret Burns, 80, revealed how he boasted he owned 17 houses and “would be a millionaire by the time he was 50″.

Mr Darwin, a science teacher (!) for 18 years who went on to work for a bank and as a prison officer, had gone canoeing in high winds when he was reported missing. His disappearance sparked a huge search.