A 19-year-old British backpacker was found alive Wednesday by two hikers after being lost for 12 days in Australia's Blue Mountains.

Jamie Neale was given up for dead by rescuers and his father when the hikers reported finding him at 11:30 a.m. in a gully about six miles from Ruined Castle, where he was last seen. Police rescue officers of New South Wales immediately fetch him and took him to the nearest hospital in Katoomba town.

Neale told his father, who came to Australia to join the search party, that he survived by eating seeds and weeds. He also endured freezing night temperature using only his jacket prompting a police official to describe his survival as amazing.

Neale's father, Richard Cass, was elated his son was found alive. Cass was about to fly out of Australia after a 400-strong search and rescue operation failed to find his son, when he learned the good news at the airport.

Cass said his son made the mistake of leaving his cell phone and bringing no food when he started the hike to the Blue Mountains.