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Republican Ben Carson has admitted that he never applied to join the US military academy at West Point, despite implications in his book that he had.

The presidential hopeful wrote in his 1996 autobiography, Gifted Hands, that he had been offered a full scholarship by the prestigious school.

But the academy said it had no record of an application from Mr Carson.

His team has denied that he lied about West Point, saying the academy effectively offered him a place.

In his book, Mr Carson recalls a meeting in 1969 when he was a high school student in Detroit enrolled in the ROTC programme, which provides preliminary officer training for students.

Then 17 years old, he dined with the decorated general, William Westmoreland, and says in his book that a "full scholarship" was subsequently offered.

Analysis - Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, North America reporter

Whether any of this will adversely affect Mr Carson's standing in the Republican presidential race is an open question.

The retired neurosurgeon has made condemnations of the media and "PC culture" a standard part of his campaign rhetoric, so he may already be immunised against perceived attacks from the mainstream press.

In last week's Republican debate on CNBC, a moderator who pressed Mr Carson to respond to allegations that he had close ties to a controversial nutrition supplement company was roundly booed by the partisan audience.

"They know," Mr Carson concluded. And they very well may continue to stand by their man.

The bizarro-world of Carson denials

But his campaign team on Friday, after inquiries by Politico, said he never applied to join the academy and the scholarship assertion was based on "conversations" he had.

"His senior commander was in touch with West Point and told Dr Carson he could get in, Dr Carson did not seek admission," campaign spokesman Doug Watts told Reuters in an email.

The confusion comes as other parts of Mr Carson's personal story related in his book have also been questioned.

He has stood by his assertion in the autobiography that in his youth he was prone to sudden violent rages that he has overcome as an adult.

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In one episode, he lunged with a knife at a close friend but fortunately struck his friend's belt buckle.

The retired neurosurgeon has made much of his struggling childhood while on the campaign trail.

Mr Carson is the joint frontrunner in the Republican presidential race with businessman Donald Trump, who wasted no time in capitalising on the latest story.

Mr Trump tweeted: "Wow, one of many lies by Ben Carson! Big story."