A 17-year-old British boy from Oldham who went missing in Spain in 2017 has been found in France, authorities say.
Alex Batty was found in the town of Revel, east of Toulouse, early on Wednesday morning.
The prosecutor’s office in Toulouse told the BBC the family had confirmed the teenager’s identity.
Alex had been missing for six years after going on holiday with his mother and grandfather.
The mother and grandfather, who do not have parental guardianship of Alex, have not been located but remain wanted in connection with his disappearance.
Alex is currently being looked after by social services, awaiting the arrival of British police and consular staff who are on their way to bring him back to England.
A police source told BBC News that the boy had been taken to a police station by a concerned motorist who had spotted him walking along a road in the foothills of the Pyrenees.
The boy said he had been in France for two years, the police source said, adding that he bore a resemblance to the last known picture of Alex.
He was in good health and did not say he had been mistreated in any way.
His grandmother – and legal guardian – Susan Caruana told The Sun newspaper on Thursday she had been able to speak to Alex.
“I am so happy. I have spoken to him and he is well,” she said.
“It is such a shock.”Ms Caruana told the BBC in 2018 that she believed Alex’s mother Melanie Batty and grandfather David Batty had taken him to live with a spiritual community in Morocco.
She said at the time they were seeking an alternative lifestyle and did not want Alex to go to school.
Melanie and David Batty left Greater Manchester with Alex for a pre-agreed, week-long holiday to Marbella in Spain on 30 September 2017.
He was last seen at the Port of Malaga on 8 October, the day they were expected to return. (BBC)