British boy Alex Batty, 17, who has not been seen since he was ‘abducted’ in Spain six years ago is found alive and well in France, officials reveal

A British boy who has not been seen since his alleged abduction six years ago has been found alive and well in France, prosecutors said today.

Alex Batty, from Oldham, Lancashire, was just 11 years old when he failed to return from holiday to Spain with his mother Melanie and grandfather David in 2017.

Alex flew to Spain on a pre-arranged trip with Melanie, then 37, and David, then 58, for a week’s stay in the Benahavis area, near Marbella.

But Alex, his mother and grandfather did not return home as expected on October 8, 2017, prompting a major police investigation into the boy’s apparent kidnapping.

Alex’s grandmother and legal guardian, Susan Caruana, who was 62 in 2017, suggested they had settled into an “alternative lifestyle” somewhere.

Alex Batty, from Oldham, Lancashire, was just 11 years old when he went missing while traveling with family members to Spain in October 2017.

She then said: “They didn’t want (Alex) to go to school, they don’t believe in regular school.”

Prosecutors in southwest France are now confident that Alex, now 17, turned up alone in Revel, near Toulouse.

La Depeche, a newspaper covering the area, reported Thursday: “The mystery of Alex Batty is about to be revealed.”

“Although he did not present any official documents to the gendarmes who detained him, this young 17-year-old boy independently revealed his identity.

“His face and story are in every respect consistent with that of the British man abducted in 2017. “This Thursday, the Toulouse prosecutor confirmed that it is indeed Alex Batty.”

Investigators believed Alex had fled a rural community living in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

After several days of walking, he was picked up by a truck driver who became suspicious and called the police.

Alex was interrogated by defectives, and, as La Depeche reported, “he spoke about his incredible journey with serenity and calm.

“His story has been verified and appears to be true. After this hearing, the teenager was transferred to the department’s social service, where he awaited a statement from his relatives.”

Initial investigations by forensic police working with prosecutors suggest Alex lived in a “spiritual community” with his mother and grandmother and mostly stayed in caravans and tents.

This is sensational news, more to come later…