Alex Batty: Driver recalls moment he found British boy 'tired' and 'confused' in French mountains

A missing British school boy has been found alive in France after he went missing from a family holiday in Spain six years ago as Lucy Watson reports

Words by Alicia Curry and Rachel Dixon

A delivery driver has recalled the moment he found missing British schoolboy Alex Batty wandering the mountains of the South of France "confused" and "tired".

He was 11 years old when he failed to return home from a holiday to Spain in October 2017 with his mother Melanie Batty, 37, who does not have legal parental guardianship, and his grandfather David Batty, 58.

He flew with them to Malaga Airport for a week-long stay in the Benahavis area near Marbella but they did not return to Oldham as expected on October 8 2017.

Six years on, he has was found alive by chiropractic care student Fabien Accidini who was doing night deliveries for local pharmacies when he came across Alex in Revel, near Toulouse.

"I picked him up on the side of the road, we talked, we finished the pharmacy’s tour together because I was working," Mr Accidini, 26, said.

"He told me that he was walking for four days since he left the mountains, he didn’t know really know where from nor where to."

Since his disappearance, Alex told Mr Accidini that he spent three years in Spain and has been in France for two years.

Despite international public appeals, Alex’s legal guardian, his grandmother, Susan Caruana, had not seen him since he left the UK.

At the time Alex went missing, Ms Caruana said she believed her daughter and ex-husband took him to live an "alternative lifestyle" in a commune in Morocco.

Mr Accidini said Alex shared that he "was in a community, let’s say something to do with spirituality, that he didn’t feel comfortable with."

After Alex had finished sharing his story the pair called the police.

"They came to pick us up and that’s when I really understood what was going on - I mean his story," Mr Accidini said.

He added he did not think Alex "had any water left because he was thirsty" when he found him.

Mr Accidini said: "But apart from that he was feeling alright, he was very tired."

"When we arrived at the police station, once he finished talking, he lay down on the floor, and was sleeping on his back."

According to reports, Alex is “well and providing information”.

His mother and grandfather have not been located but are wanted by police in connection with his disappearance.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “This is a complex and long-running investigation, and we need to make further enquiries as well as putting appropriate safeguarding measures in place.”

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