Alex Batty: British teen found in France returns to UK

Image source, Greater Manchester Police

A younger Alex Batty, pictured before he went missing

British teenager Alex Batty, who was found in France after being missing for six years, has returned to the UK, Greater Manchester Police has said.

Alex vanished in 2017 on a holiday in Spain with his mother and grandfather.

His mother does not have parental guardianship of the 17-year-old and her current whereabouts is not known at this time.

Greater Manchester Police are preparing to hold a press conference at the force's headquarters.

Alex was found on Wednesday by a motorist, who spotted him on a road in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, near Toulouse.

The AFP news agency previously reported British police officers would accompany the boy on a flight from France, citing a French prosecutor.

Alex is believed to have been living a nomadic lifestyle in spiritual communities with his mother and grandfather for the past few years.

French officials said he decided to leave when his mother wanted to go to Finland.

Alex is believed to have walked through the mountainous terrain of southern France for four days before being found by a delivery driver in the middle of the night.

The driver, Fabien Accidini, said he lent the teenager his phone and let him use his Facebook account to contact his grandmother, Susan Caruana.