A British teenager who went missing from his home in Doncaster six years ago has been found alive in France. Andrew Gosden, who was 11 years old when he disappeared, was spotted walking alone in the rain with a skateboard by a passing motorist, who alerted the police.
Gosden's parents have been informed and are overjoyed by the news. They are expected to fly to France soon to reunite with their son, who is now 17 years old.
A mystery disappearance
Gosden vanished on 14 September 2007, after leaving his home in Balby, a suburb of Doncaster, South Yorkshire. He withdrew £200 from his bank account and bought a one-way ticket to London from Doncaster station. He was last seen on CCTV leaving King's Cross station.
Despite numerous national appeals for information in the years following his disappearance, Gosden's reason for travelling to London that day, and his subsequent fate, had not been established. He was a gifted student with a 100% attendance record at The McAuley Catholic High School and was on the Young Gifted and Talented Programme. He was described as a prize-winning mathematician who seemed destined for Cambridge.
His family described him as a "home bird" who rarely left the house and never without saying where he was going. They said he had a neutral attitude about school and hoped the upcoming term would provide more of a challenge. He had not been to church for 18 months and had quit the Cub Scouts a few months before his disappearance.
A miraculous discovery
Gosden was found on 16 December 2023, in a small town near Lyon, France. He was walking along a road in the rain, carrying a skateboard, when a motorist noticed him and stopped to offer him a lift. The driver, who spoke English, asked him where he was from and where he was going. Gosden said he was from England and had no destination.
The driver became suspicious and contacted the local police, who took Gosden to a station for questioning. They ran his fingerprints and discovered he was the missing British boy who had been sought for six years. They contacted the UK authorities, who confirmed his identity and notified his parents.
Gosden told the police he had been living on the streets and travelling across Europe for the past six years. He said he had left home because he was bored and unhappy and wanted to see the world. He said he had no contact with anyone from his past and had no intention of returning to the UK. He said he had survived by begging, stealing and doing odd jobs.
A happy ending
Gosden's parents, Kevin and Glenys, said they were over the moon to hear their son was alive and well. They said they had never given up hope of finding him and had prayed for his safety every day. They said they were grateful to the motorist who had spotted him and the police who had helped him.
They said they were looking forward to seeing him and hugging him and hearing his story. They said they respected his decision to leave home and travel, but hoped he would come back with them and rebuild his life in the UK. They said they loved him unconditionally and wanted him to be happy.
