A boy from Oldham who went missing in 2017 may have been found in the south of France, according to media reports.

Alex Batty went missing at the age of 11 after going on holiday to Spain with his mum and grandad.

Update (December 15): GMP has told a press conference Alex will be returning to the UK within 'days'.

Update (December 14): Alex Batty's grandmother has spoken out after he was found in France.

They were due to fly home on October 8, 2017, but never returned. His grandmother was his legal guardian.

Now, more than six years after he was last seen in the UK, reports from France have said that Alex may have been found yesterday (Wednesday, December 13) and that his identity has been confirmed by the public prosecutor of Toulouse.

The Oldham Times:

UPDATE: GMP issue statement after Oldham boy missing for six years may have been found

Alex, a pupil at Hathershaw College, went on a pre-arranged trip with his mum, Melanie Batty, who did not have parental guardianship of Alex - and her father David Batty, to a villa in the Benahavis area near Marbella.

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They flew to Malaga Airport on September 30.

But despite extensive police inquiries, an international appeal and assistance from Spanish authorities, they have not been seen or heard from since - and Miss Batty and Mr Batty are wanted on suspicion of Alex's abduction.

Inquiries revealed the family left Benahavis on October 8 and it was originally thought they may have fled to Melilla in Morocco.

Appeals were launched to try and find Alex, with his grandmother Susan Caruana speaking to The Oldham Times in 2018.

The Oldham Times: Grandmother Sue Caruana is appealing for information about her grandson, Alex Batty

She said at the time: "I love him so much.

"I'm beginning to think I may never see him again. I just hope this appeal helps to find him.

"I just die inside a little bit more every day. I just can't tell anybody how it feels.

"We got on so well. I looked forward to him coming home from school every day."

Greater Manchester Police and Missing People have both been contacted.