A 12-year-old boy from southern China was detained after driving solo for six hours on the highway, claiming to have adult dwarfism, which shocked social media.

The boy, surnamed Luo and hailing from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was discovered by a highway toll collector on June 15 due to his unusually short stature.

He insisted he was an adult with dwarfism, but the toll collector was sceptical and contacted the police.

Upon investigation, the police determined that he was merely a child and was ineligible for a driving licence under Chinese law.

Initially, Luo falsely claimed he was driving his aunt’s car to his grandmother’s home. However, when the police reached out to his father, they learned that he was unaware his son could drive.