French officials report that a British teenager named Alex Batty separated from his mother in order to evade relocation to Finland.

A British teenager who had been missing for six years has been found in France after leaving his mother due to her plans to move to Finland, according to French officials. The 17-year-old, named Alex Batty, explained that he had been constantly on the move with his grandfather and mother since they disappeared in 2017, and he wanted to return to his life in the UK. Alex was discovered by a motorist in southern France and is expected to be reunited with his family in the UK soon. However, the whereabouts of Alex's mother, who does not have parental guardianship, remain unknown. Alex's grandfather is believed to have passed away six months ago. Susan Caruana, Alex's grandmother and legal guardian, expressed immense relief and happiness at the news of his safe recovery. French authorities are still piecing together Alex's life during his time missing and have discovered that he lived with a small group of around 10 people, moving frequently in alternative lifestyles. Alex did not receive formal education during his disappearance but described the community as "spiritual" rather than a cult. When his mother mentioned their plans to move to Finland, Alex made the decision to leave and was on foot for four days and nights until a delivery driver offered him a lift. He used the driver's phone to reach out to his grandmother on Facebook. Greater Manchester Police expressed their relief and joy at finding Alex safe and well and stated that further checks will be conducted upon his return to the UK. Alex went missing in September 2017 when his parents took him on a holiday to Marbella in Spain and was last seen at the Port of Malaga on 8 October of the same year.