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| Alex Batty: British teen found in France set to return to UK soon | Alex Batty: British teen found in France set to return to UK soon |
| (4 months later) | |
| A younger Alex Batty, pictured before he went missing | A younger Alex Batty, pictured before he went missing |
| A younger Alex Batty, pictured before he went missing | A younger Alex Batty, pictured before he went missing |
| British teenager Alex Batty, found in France after six years missing, is expected to return home to the UK in the coming hours. | British teenager Alex Batty, found in France after six years missing, is expected to return home to the UK in the coming hours. |
| Alex vanished in 2017 on a holiday in Spain with his mother and grandfather. | 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 are unknown. | His mother does not have parental guardianship of the 17-year-old and her current whereabouts are unknown. |
| Alex was found on Wednesday by a motorist, who spotted him on a road in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, near Toulouse. | Alex was found on Wednesday by a motorist, who spotted him on a road in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, near Toulouse. |
| The Agence France-Presse news agency reported British police officers will accompany the boy on a flight from France, citing French prosecutor Antoine Leroy. | The Agence France-Presse news agency reported British police officers will accompany the boy on a flight from France, citing French prosecutor Antoine Leroy. |
| Alex is believed to have been living a nomadic lifestyle in spiritual communities with his mother and grandfather for the past few years. | 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. | 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. | 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. | The driver, Fabien Accidini, said he lent the teenager his phone and let him use his Facebook account to contact his grandmother, Susan Caruana. |
| Ms Caruana, who is the teenager's legal guardian based in Oldham, said she can't wait to be reunited with him. | Ms Caruana, who is the teenager's legal guardian based in Oldham, said she can't wait to be reunited with him. |
| Alex's grandmother Susan Caruana, pictured in 2019, spoke of her relief and happiness | Alex's grandmother Susan Caruana, pictured in 2019, spoke of her relief and happiness |
| Alex's grandmother Susan Caruana, pictured in 2019, spoke of her relief and happiness | Alex's grandmother Susan Caruana, pictured in 2019, spoke of her relief and happiness |
| "I cannot begin to express my relief and happiness that Alex has been found safe and well," she said in a statement issued on Friday by Greater Manchester Police. | "I cannot begin to express my relief and happiness that Alex has been found safe and well," she said in a statement issued on Friday by Greater Manchester Police. |
| She added it was "so good to hear his voice and see his face again". | She added it was "so good to hear his voice and see his face again". |
| She requested privacy for the family, so that they could "make his return as comforting as possible". | She requested privacy for the family, so that they could "make his return as comforting as possible". |
| The BBC has spoken to residents of the small hamlet of La Bastide in the Pyrenees. | The BBC has spoken to residents of the small hamlet of La Bastide in the Pyrenees. |
| Locals said Alex had been staying at a guesthouse there on and off for the past two years. | Locals said Alex had been staying at a guesthouse there on and off for the past two years. |
| The guesthouse in the Pyrenees where locals say Alex was living | The guesthouse in the Pyrenees where locals say Alex was living |
| The guesthouse in the Pyrenees where locals say Alex was living | The guesthouse in the Pyrenees where locals say Alex was living |
| They said he was living with his grandfather, who did odd jobs in the area, and his mother was in the neighbouring region. | They said he was living with his grandfather, who did odd jobs in the area, and his mother was in the neighbouring region. |
| The residents added while his French wasn't great, he was always polite. | The residents added while his French wasn't great, he was always polite. |
| French police said Alex told them his grandfather died about six months ago. | French police said Alex told them his grandfather died about six months ago. |
| Three locals, however, have told the BBC his grandfather was seen alive as recently as last week. | Three locals, however, have told the BBC his grandfather was seen alive as recently as last week. |
| Additional reporting by Chris Bockman and Lisa Louis | Additional reporting by Chris Bockman and Lisa Louis |
| Related topics | |
| Oldham | Oldham |
| Toulouse | Toulouse |
| London | London |