Alex Batty says he never saw his alleged abduction as kidnapping

A British man who vanished for six years abroad as a child has revealed he never viewed his alleged abduction as a 'kidnapping' because he was taken by his mother.Alex Batty went missing aged 11 in 2017 after his mother Melanie Batty, who was not his legal guardian, took him on a pre-arranged trip to Spain with his grandfather.The family then went off-grid leading a nomadic lifestyle in southern France until 2023, when Mr Batty made the decision to walk out after leaving a note for them.He was found walking in darkness carrying his skateboard by French delivery driver Fabien Accidini near Toulouse then reunited with his grandmother and legal guardian Susan Caruana days later, back at his former home in Oldham, Greater Manchester.