Covered in leeches, six stone lighter and suffering from gangrene... but boy, 18, is found alive after NINE WEEKS alone in the Australian bush

Matthew Allen walked out of home on 'survival mission' in November
18-year-old hid from passing hikers in effort not to be discovered
Found half-blind, covered in leeches and suffering from gangrene

PUBLISHED: 03:13 EST, 28 January 2013 | UPDATED: 08:42 EST, 28 January 2013

Found: 18-year-old Matthew Allen has been rescued after spending nine weeks alone in the outbush

An Australian teenager who was feared dead by his family after hiking into the bush has been found alive nine weeks after he disappeared from his home.

Matthew Allen, 18, lost half his body weight during his two months in the wilderness before being rescued on Saturday.

The student was covered in leeches and bites and had gangrene eating into his feet and lower legs when he was discovered by two hikers, and had been rendered partially blind by his ordeal.

He is believed to have deliberately set out on a survival mission from his family home in Westleigh, north of Sydney, two miles from where he was found.

However, the test almost cost him his life as he struggled to exist on virtually no food and the little water he could gather from a virtually-dry creek bed.

‘He was not living under any shelter and was exposed to the full conditions since he was reported missing more than two months ago,’ said Glyn Baker of Hornsby police.

‘Anyone who is missing for that length of time in those kind of conditions... you wouldn’t expect to see them again.'

But accountancy student Matthew, who had lost six stone, was found by chance as he lay near a track in the bush, too exhausted to stand up on his gangrene-stricken feet.

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Despite his emaciated condition, experienced bush walkers and police are in awe of his ability to have survived virtually without any sustenance since November – during a record-breaking heatwave.

Incredible survival: Despite his emaciated condition, experienced bush walkers and police are in awe of his ability to have survived virtually without any sustenance since November in the wilderness near Hornsby - during a record-breaking heatwave

When rescuers reached Matthew they were shocked at his condition – his body was red with mosquito bites, leeches clung to his arms and legs and he was completely disoriented.

A helicopter was sent in to winch him out of the dense bushland and fly him to hospital in nearby Hornsby.

His mother Deborah said today that her family’s priority is ‘getting Matthew well.’ She declined to comment further.

It is understood that Matthew had been suffering from mental health issues when he set out from home to go into the bush.

‘He intended to go there – he didn’t get lost in there,’ said a police spokesman.

When his family reported him missing a widespread search was carried out but the 18-year-old could not be found. He had left his mobile phone at home and had not taken any extra clothing with him.

Discovery: Matthew was found near Hornsby, a suburb of Sydney on the edge of the outback

Ben Wrigley of Hornsby police said it was considered unlikely that anyone who was missing in the bush for nine weeks with little sustenance could have survived.

‘I was amazed and very happy that everything turned out the way that it happened – I couldn’t believe it,’ he said.

Police have yet to question Matthew about his ordeal but they believe he had deliberately stayed out of sight when hikers passed close to him.

‘Hikers often walk along tracks in the area and we think he might have stayed hidden from them,’ Mr Baker said.

He said that because Matthew had now only just been found, ‘he must have kept out of the way of people'.

The officer told the Sydney Morning Herald: ‘I think he is in such a state that he couldn’t actually get up and move.

‘He’s not that far from home but there’s no indication at all that food was being pilfered from the house.’

Matthew’s family have gathered at his bedside in hospital, where he is being treated for his numerous injuries, which police have said are ‘not life-threatening.’

But officials say that if he had not been found by chance he would not have survived for many more days.

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Bit pointless really

- kelly , Liverpool, 28/1/2013 22:26

Click to rate Rating 2

At 18 he is a man with full adult rights not a boy.

- James , Ascot, 28/1/2013 22:25

Click to rate Rating 21

I hope the poor lad gets the help he needs. good luck.

- BB , LDN, 28/1/2013 22:19

Click to rate Rating 53

So many people must feel like doing this, just to escape so called civilized life. Bless his little cotton socks.

- me2 , manchester, United Kingdom, 28/1/2013 22:16

Click to rate Rating 25

Leanne Glasgow, didn't you read the story?! He has mental health issues, maybe you should think before commenting!!!

- glasgow girl , Glasgow, 28/1/2013 22:08

Click to rate Rating 30

I ran away from home once...slipped out of the garden and walked up the street to a main road, stared at a huge old church and then wondered what to do next. Couldn't think of anything; so walked back down the road and back into the garden.... I was five.

- Tallulah , Hove, United Kingdom, 28/1/2013 21:59

Click to rate Rating 31

Good news he's alive, hope he get better soon, don't go walkabout again too soon mate!

- Steve , Tyldesley, 28/1/2013 21:57

Click to rate Rating 20

Aleks from Sydney - your comment "far from wilderness"- Most people would disagree with you completely, Aleks. It is in every sense wild untamed bushland around Hornsby. Its full of snakes, spiders and wildlife of various kinds, it is all rocky, bushy, cliffs, steep drops, little fresh water and thick scrub. I gather you believe the area north of sydney is just like a sports ground where somebody cuts the grass and sweeps up the leaves each morning...NOT SO. Your comment leads me to guess that youve not even been there, if you had you would not have made such an inaccurate assertion. As for the others blaming the family for 'allowing' the boy to take of on a 'survival' mission....please read the article again. The boy has pre existing mental health issues, and his family had no knowledge of what amounts to little more than a suicide attempt - not a condoned experiment in wilderness survival. The world needs more compassion and less nasty comments from behind lcd displays.

- Guy Rippingale , perth WA, Australia, 28/1/2013 21:49

Click to rate Rating 66

Sounds like this boy had problems before this started.

- Republic of Texas , Houston, United States, 28/1/2013 21:44

Click to rate Rating 32

Clearly he wasn't ready for that test. Hate that he paid such a price. Really hard lesson to learn.

- AmandaD , Bham, 28/1/2013 21:19

Click to rate Rating 18

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