Desperate to see him of Mm Over the moon

Gran is set for reunion with lost’ teen today

- PATRICK HILL and PAUL BYRNE

THE grandmother of British teenager Alex Batty is set for an emotional reunion today, six years after he vanished while on holiday in Spain.

Alex disappeared aged 11 in 2017 while on a trip with his mum, Melanie Batty, 43. 

It was feared she and her father, David Batty, 64, had abducted Alex and taken him to lead an "alternative" lifestyle in Morocco.

But on Wednesday, he was spotted wandering along a country road in southwest France, carrying his skateboard.

He is expected to soon arrive back in the UK to be reunited with his grandmother and legal guardian, Susan Caruana, 68.

She said yesterday: "It's amazing. It's an incredible story. It's unbelievable after all these years. I'm in shock. I can't believe it. I have spoken to him and he's well, that's all I can say for now.

"I'm desperate to see him over the weekend but I don't know what's happening. I'm waiting for the authorities to let me know.

"It was absolutely like a dream when I heard his voice. I'm over the moon. It was unbelievable." Alex was seen walking in the rain on a treacherous road near Toulouse, at 3am on Wednesday by delivery driver Fabien Accidini, 26, who offered him a lift and took him to the local police station.

The 17-year-old told him he had been "kidnapped" by his mum and had been living in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, before escaping when she announced plans for him to move to Finland.

Yesterday, it emerged that he had been walking for four nights, travelling in darkness and foraging in fields for food.