Alex Batty ‘could have been found in July’ as photo emerges of mum and granddad

Melanie and David have been pictured for the first time in six years (Picture: PA/Steve Reigate)

The first pictures of Alex Batty’s mum and grandad since their disappearance six years ago have emerged – as it was revealed French police missed an opportunity to rescue the teen five months ago.

Last week Alex, now 17, returned to his family in Oldham, Greater Manchester after going missing during a holiday in Spain with his mum and stepdad in 2017.

Mum Melanie and grandad David lived amongst ‘spiritual’ communities, living in caravans for no longer than a few weeks at a time – but it turns out French police missed a chance to find Alex because they were on strike at the time.

Alex and a woman turned up at Ecole 42, a prestigious IT college in Perpignan in the south of France, in July.

He had passed his online application and computer exam with ‘flying colours’ and teachers were impressed with his application, but they were concerned about his use of fake personal details.

Marie Payré, administrative manager of Ecole 42, told French radio station France Bleu: ‘He gave his name as Zack Edwards. He told us by email that an airline had lost his identity papers.

A new picture of Melanie Batty (dressed in white) with David Batty (in denim shirt) and her son Alex Batty (in black t-shirt) taken at the Esperaza market in June 2023 has emerged (Picture: Steve Reigate)

Alex is now 17 (Picture: PA)

‘When Alex arrived, we started to have a clue about what was going on. This is when Alex said “Zack Edwards is just a nickname, my real name is Alex Batty”.’

Géro Vigney, the director of Ecole 42, realised that his potential student was a wanted child, and his mother was on the run.

Mr Vigney handed over all details to the police, including the address where Alex was staying, but he explained: ‘It didn’t happen like in the movies. When I arrived at the police station, it was in the middle of a national police strike, so I was asked to come back at 3pm.

‘I think everyone found themselves faced with a situation they were not supposed to be in, but it annoyed me a little because we are still talking about a minor who has been missing for six years!’

Interpol was involved in the increasingly complicated case since Alex went missing.

There are claims that Mr Batty died six months ago, but this has not been confirmed.

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No record of Mr Batty’s death has been filed, and neighbours in the hamlet of La Bastide, near Carcassonne, where they once lived, said they saw him looking fit and well within the last month.

Greater Manchester Police flew to France to collect Alex and return him home – but for diplomatic reasons can’t help the French to find his mum and grandad.

A French source said: ‘The British are now leading the investigation, and they of course will be interviewing Alex at length. His mother is crucial to the enquiry, and she needs to be found.’

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