A British teenager who reappeared in southern France after vanishing six years ago is expected to return to northern England in the coming days, according to police. The boy, Alex Batty, went missing at the age of 11 while on holiday with his mother and grandfather in Malaga, Spain, in 2017. Both his mother and grandfather are still wanted in connection with his disappearance.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) revealed that they are collaborating with French authorities to facilitate Batty’s return to the UK, where his legal guardian, his grandmother, resides. GMP Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes stated, “He’s getting well cared for by the French authorities at the moment… Our priority is to get him back to the UK and get him back to his family in Oldham as soon as possible. That is expected to happen over the next few days.”
The Toulouse public prosecution office informed Reuters that Batty is currently in the custody of a social welfare service, and they are in close contact with British authorities to arrange his return.
The teenager was discovered by a delivery driver earlier this week, walking along a road near the city of Toulouse. According to the driver, Batty explained that he had left a remote mountain community in the Pyrenees. The driver recounted that Batty was carrying his belongings, including a skateboard and a lamp, and had been traveling through a remote forest in the middle of the night when he stopped to assist the boy on his journey back to civilization.
Sykes disclosed that Batty had a video call with his grandmother on Thursday evening, stating, “She has a whole host of emotions and feelings, as you could imagine.” The whereabouts of Batty’s mother, who disappeared with her son in 2017 and may still be in the mountains, remains unknown. The search for her has begun, as she was reportedly part of a spiritualist group without a fixed residence, moving around the region known for attracting people seeking an alternative way of life in caravans and tents.
Sykes emphasized that there is still work to be done in fully understanding the circumstances surrounding Batty’s disappearance and his whereabouts during the past six years. He added, “At the moment, the priority is speaking to Alex… but obviously his mother is part of that conversation and investigation.”
