Featured Image Credit: PA/GMP
Topics: UK News
Claire Reid
Alex Batty’s family has spoken out after the teen was found safe and well after he vanished six years ago.
Alex, originally from Oldham in Greater Manchester, was just 11-years-old when he disappeared while in Marbella, Spain.
Alex had been his mum Melanie Batty and granddad David at the time of his disappearance in October 2011. Neither relative was his legal guardian.
His grandmother and legal guardian Susan Caruana has now confirmed that he's safe and said she was 'thrilled'.
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Speaking to the Sun, she said: “I am so happy. I have spoken to him and he is well.
“He is currently with the authorities in France. It is such a shock.
“I don't know where his mum is. It is great news. I am just waiting for him to come home - I am thrilled.”
Yesterday (13 December), Alex - now 17 - was found in the town of Revel east of Toulouse, France.
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Alex has been placed with social services in France, according to local media reports.
Newspaper La Depeche reported: "Although he did not show any official document to the gendarmes who took him in, this young 17-year-old boy provided his identity on his own.
"His face and his story correspond in every way to that of the Briton kidnapped in 2017.
"This Thursday the Toulouse public prosecutor confirmed that it is indeed Alex Batty.
"His story has been verified and appears to correspond to reality.
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"Following this hearing, the teenager was entrusted to the department's social services, while waiting for his relatives to come forward."
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.”
A statement added: "Alex, who is from Oldham in Greater Manchester and was 11 at the time of his disappearance, left the UK on 30 September 2017 for a pre-agreed family holiday in Spain."
Alex’s heartbroken grandmother had previously appealed for information on his whereabouts.
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During the investigation to find Alex in 2019, Detective Constable Declan O’Reilly, of GMP’s Oldham District, said: “Despite being over two years since Alex was last seen, I would urge people to keep him in their mind as his grandmother, family and friends here in Oldham have celebrated another one of his birthdays without him.
“The safest place for Alex is back home with his grandmother and we need the public’s help to find and return him to her. She is absolutely desperate for his safe return and when I spoke with her recently she said if there is one thing she could say to Alex it would be for him to please get in touch as his disappearance has left her broken. Anyone who has any information, no matter how big or small you think it may be, please come forward so that we can try to reunite a missing boy with his devastated grandmother.”