More details have emerged about the time Oldham boy Alex Batty spent in France when he was reported missing.

The 17-year-old, who disappeared six years ago, had been living in an isolated farmhouse in the Pyrenees mountains, it has been reported.

It is understood that the teenager, who was known as Zach, came to stay in a remote part of the French countryside with his mother and grandfather in 2021.

Last night, Saturday, December 16, Alex was reunited with his guardian and grandmother Susan Caruana, who he had not seen since September 2017, as he spent his first night back in the UK.

The former Hathershaw College pupil, was found in the middle of the night by a delivery driver after walking for four days, according to French authorities.

His mother and grandfather, Melanie and David Batty, are yet to be found.

French couple Frederic Hambye and Ingrid Beauve have claimed Alex stayed with his grandfather in a holiday home they owned.

They released the following statement on their website which states: "We are Ingrid and Fred, the owners of the gite de la Bastide and following the amalgams told in the press, we would like to give clarifications that will allow to better understand our role in the story of ‘Alex Batty’, who for us was called ‘Zach’ until last Thursday.

"We are the owners of the gite de la Bastide (to be differentiated from the Ferme de la Bastide, adjacent to the gite) in Camps-sur-l’Agly, a gite that has existed for almost 30 years and welcomes tourists but also hikers, horseback riders and cyclists along the GR 367 (Cathar trail) as well as groups on the occasion of family celebrations or associations, seminars and cultural events with a local focus.

"Zach (Alex Batty) arrived at our B&B for the first time in the late fall of 2021, at the time he was accompanied by his grandfather and mother."

It continued: "He was looking for a place to stay and we offered to stay with us for a few days / weeks in a ‘WorkAway’ type formula in which he contributed to the maintenance of the gite (garden, kitchen help) in exchange for accommodation and food. Zach / Alex had free access to the fridge and our food and loved to cook. 

"He enjoyed sharing the dishes prepared by Fred and Ingrid, beef stew, chocolate cake, pasta bolognaise and vegetarian specialities. He was careful and keen to participate in the life of the gite when he was there.

"On Sundays he would accompany us to the market to buy a Bagnat au Tuna and meet his mother. He was also part of our family and had good relations with our kids. We enjoyed time together in the summer, like cycling on rails, visiting the beach, the river, etc."

Their statement said that Alex had a "room to himself" and that their bed and breakfast was not a "spiritual community".

It went on: "He stayed with us for some longer and shorter periods. He left several times to join his mother in her successive places of residence between Aude and Ariege. We didn’t have much contact with his mother and she never lived at the Gite de la Bastide. 

"As far as we know, she was looking for a place to live in a community. La Bastide does not have this ambition. Nor are we a spiritual community.

"The last time Zach/Alex came back to us was at the beginning of this summer. As time went on, we saw him as part of our family and we think he appreciated the stability and security we represent for him."

It continued: "He had a room to himself, unlimited internet access and was completely free to come and go as he pleased.

"We were keen to help him (although we didn’t have parental authority since his family were in the area) and we encouraged him to learn French and study. In particular, we helped him find a school where he could be admitted without prior education. He showed a certain aptitude for computers. 

"He was eager to go school and get back to a normal life and for that he needed his ID which he told us he no longer had. When we learned that he did not have an ID we offered to drive him to the British Consulate. He told us he would find a way to return to the UK on his own to get new papers and go back to school. To this end, he told us, he left on Sunday December 17 to join his mother."

They also said that they had "reiterated" to Alex that he would "always be welcome" and that they "were there for him".

They added: "The rest, as well as his real name and full story, we discovered in the press at the beginning of this week. We wish him the best of luck."