Mum of missing Brit Jay Slater speaks out amid ‘traumatic’ search for son who disappeared in Tenerife

The mother of a British teenager who has gone missing during a holiday in Tenerife said having to search for her son has been 'horrendous'.

Jay Slater, 19, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from on Monday morning as he told a friend he planned to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus, a journey expected to take around 11 hours on foot.

The teen had been enjoying a holiday on the Spanish island with two friends in the hours before he went missing on 17 June, having flown to the Canary Islands for a music festival.

The search for Jay Slater in Tenerife continues. (Handout by family)

One of the friends he was joined by, Lucy, later told police that he'd been on a night out with the group earlier that evening, but had strayed in order to spend time with new people he'd met.

She told the Manchester Evening News that the accommodation of their 'new friends' had been 'in the middle of nowhere', and that Jay had called at around 8.00am the following day to inform her that he was attempting to walk home after being unable to catch a bus.

He also told her his phone battery was on one percent and that he needed a drink of water, but 'didn't know where he was'.

His phone then died, with his last location showing as being in ‘the middle of the mountains with nothing around’.

His location was revealed to be in the Rural de Teno Park - or the National Park of Teno, north west of the island.

This was what Jay Slater was last seen wearing. (Snapchat/Jay Slater)

Mr Slater’s mother, Debbie Duncan, flew to Tenerife on Tuesday morning (18 June) to search for him.

Ms Duncan said she feared her son, who is an apprentice bricklayer, had 'been taken against his will'.

She told the PA news agency: “It’s just traumatic and it doesn’t feel real. It’s just awful, it’s horrendous.

“I think he’s been taken against his will with what’s been said, but it’s in the hands of the police.”

Speaking about her son, Ms Duncan said: “He’s just a great person who everyone wanted to be with. He’s good looking, he’s a popular boy.”

She added that the police leading the search had been 'very good'.

Lucy also told the publication that one of the people Mr Slater had met had driven them back to his apartment in a hire car and the missing man had not realised how far away it was.

Jay's last seen location was in a rural part of the island. (Handout by family)

“He’s ended up out in the middle of nowhere. Jay was obviously thinking he would be able to get home from there,” she said.

“But then in the morning he’s set off walking, using his maps on his phone and ended up in the middle of mountains with nothing around.”

Mr Slater was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with shorts and trainers.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”

Tyla has contacted the Foreign Office for further comment.