Jay Slater – latest: ‘Devastated’ family say ‘worst fears realised’ after body found in Tenerife

The headteachers at Jay Slater’s former main and secondary colleges have launched new statements following the invention of his physique in Tenerife.

Andrew Williams, of Rhyddings Excessive Faculty, and James McBride of West Finish Major Faculty, mentioned all members of their communities despatched their deepest sympathies to anybody who knew the 19-year-old.

“As a faithful mom, we all know Debbie would have by no means given up searching for Jay, and she or he and the household are firmly in our ideas and prayers at this tough time,” their assertion mentioned.

“We hope that this tragic discovery won’t solely dispel any rumours, however permit the household to return with their son and afford them the dignity of their personal grief and mourning.”

When British teenager Jay Slater vanished in northern Tenerife a month in the past, the case captured the eye of the nation.

Tens of hundreds of kilos had been donated by the general public to fund the search, with some even volunteering to fly over to the favored vacation island to help. Helicopters, sniffer canine and, within the final days of the search, personal specialists had been introduced in, within the hope of discovering the Lancashire teenager.

The search adopted Mr Slater’s final identified steps by way of treacherous valleys and harmful ravines till his physique was discovered after 4 gruelling weeks.

My colleague Alexander Butler has extra particulars:

West Finish Methodist Church in Oswaldtwistle is about to open this night for individuals to mild a candle, say prayers and write messages of assist to the family members of Jay Slater, the Lancashire Telegraph stories.

Reverend Matt Smith was quoted as saying: “We’re going to open the church from 7pm to 8pm for individuals to return and be collectively.

“It received’t be a service, that will likely be on Sunday as regular at 10.30am, but it surely’s a spot for individuals to return collectively, to assist one another and say prayers and write messages of assist for the household and be collectively.”

Accrington and Rossendale Faculty, the place Jay Slater was an apprentice bricklayer, has launched an announcement to the BBC stating the school is “deeply saddened to listen to the information” of the 19-year-old’s demise.

“Jay was a hard-working apprentice … with a really vivid future forward of him and our ideas and condolences exit to his household, pals, and all who knew and beloved him,” the assertion mentioned.

Acknowledging that the previous month has been an “extremely tough time”, the school mentioned it might present assist and sources for individuals who want it.

Sarah, a resident from Jay Slater’s hometown of Oswaldtwistle, instructed BBC Radio Lancashire: “I didn’t know the lad personally … but it surely’s near residence so it impacts you. It’s so unhappy for his mum, dad, his family and friends.”

Sarah mentioned she was amongst residents who had tied blue ribbons exterior their homes to indicate assist to Jay’s household, including: “They’re all nonetheless in every single place. It’s actually unhappy.”

“All indications” recommend that the physique discovered could possibly be that of Jay Slater, who “may have died attributable to an unintentional fall within the steep and inaccessible space the place he was discovered”, the Civil Guard has mentioned.

With autopsy and forensic investigations but to conclude, questions stay over how the apprentice bricklayer went lacking in an space inundated with vacationers:

On-line trolling put Jay Slater’s mom by way of “extra stress and trauma” on high of the already “extremely tough” state of affairs she was enduring over her lacking son.

Matthew Searle, CEO of the charity LBT International, which is supporting {the teenager}’s household, instructed The Impartial: “She’s discovered it extremely tough coping with this entire state of affairs, however with the extra stress and trauma placed on her by the quantity of obscene trolling, armchair detectives, so-called specialists and specialists – it’s been actually laborious on her and the household.”

He in contrast it to the frenzied on-line hypothesis that surrounded the Nicola Bulley case, which was condemned by a few of her family members.

Jay Slater’s household are “devastated” after “their worst fears have been realised”, the chief of a charity supporting his family members has mentioned.

LBT International’s Matthew Searle MBE was speaking to {the teenager}’s mom Debbie Duncan, 55, when the information that her son’s physique had been recognized broke.

Mr Searle instructed The Impartial: “It’s simply the worst information they might presumably anticipate. There’s all the time that slim hope till affirmation comes that they’ve received it mistaken and it’s another person, however sadly they’ve’t received it mistaken and their worst fears have been realised.”

He added: “They’re just about misplaced for phrases – simply how devastated they’re.”

Ms Duncan remains to be in Tenerife together with the 19-year-old’s father Warren Slater, 47, in addition to one among his pals Brandon Hodgson, 19. Mr Searle mentioned the household usually are not at the moment disclosing when they are going to be returning residence to the UK, nor releasing any funeral particulars at the moment.

Mr Fahim spoke to The Impartial shortly after a Spanish courtroom mentioned post-mortem fingerprinting confirmed the physique belongs to {the teenager}. He mentioned: “I’m completely devastated.

“We searched that space on the primary day proper subsequent to the place he was discovered additional down. It is rather harmful there and inaccessible actually. They needed to get a helicopter to raise searchers out of there.

He added: “I’m gutted we couldn’t discover him sooner as a result of there would have been an opportunity to avoid wasting his life. I’ll all the time query myself – may I’ve finished higher? I do really feel like I failed a bit of bit, it doesn’t matter what individuals say. I think about I’ve walked previous him 5 or 6 occasions.”

My colleague Barney Davis has extra particulars from the interview right here: