Jay Slater missing – latest: Human remains found by rescue workers during search in Tenerife

The mother of Jay Slater had issued a new statement on Sunday, prior to the announcement of the discovery of human remains in the search for the British teenager.

In a statement issued on Sunday via the British overseas missing persons charity LBT Global, his mother Debbie Duncan criticised the “awful comments and conspiracy theories” on social media as “vile” and warned they were hindering efforts to find him.

Ms Duncan wrote: “As we approach four weeks of our beautiful Jay’s disappearance, we cannot put into words the heartache we are suffering as a family.

“Jay is a typical young man who loves life with a bright future ahead of him. This month will mark the end of his three year apprenticeship with the world at his feet. He is loved by everyone and has a close bond with his family and many many friends

“We would also like to say that we are aware of the awful comments and conspiracy theories that are filling social media. These theories are hindering the people trying to help us in their investigations here in Tenerife and are vile to see as a family.

“He is a loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend to so many. He is such a popular boy this and is very distressing for us all to read.”

Human remains have been found in the search for Jay Slater, local media in Tenerife has reported, nearly a month after the British 19-year-old went missing.

A body was found in the Masca area where he had disappeared, newspaper El Dia reported, citing the Spanish Civil Guard.

DNA tests will be carried out to establish the person’s identity, along with an autopsy to uncover the cause of their death.

Following the arrival back home of one of missing Jay Slater’s best friends, Lucy Law, she’s now posted previously unseen pictures of the 19-year-old.

Ms Law was part of the search effort to find Jay, who vanished on 17 June.

The teenager spoke to Ms Law on the phone on the morning, saying he was walking home and he had just one per cent left on his battery.

And now she’s shared some new pictures on Instagram showing Jay with friends.

“We have just got to sit tight” – the words of Jay’s uncle Glen Duncan, 41, who was interviewed on Sky News while in the town of Santiago del Teide.

He says the family feel like they are on their own with little help from the police.

And he wants support from the police in the UK.

He said: “So far we’ve just been in touch with the British consulate out here who have been saying it’s still a live investigation, we have just got to sit tight. It’s just adding to the despair really.”

Messages of support for the family of Jay Slater have been left by donors on a GoFundMe page, which has raised more than £50,000.

The money will be used for the search, and to pay for the family’s time out in Tenerife.

Paula Smyth wrote: “Hope this beautiful boy comes home safe and soon – I have a son who looks just like him cant imagine what the family are going through.”

Chris Morely wrote: “Hope you find your boy soon., keep that hope in your heart . From one mum to another.”

Rachel Gibson wrote: “I cannot imagine what you are going through at this difficult time; I hope you find answers soon. You are a wonderful family; don’t forget that so many people are rooting for you all. The good always wins in the end. May angels watch over you.”

As posted earlier, it’s been reported that two of Jay’s closest friends – Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves – have flown home.

The pair were with Jay at a party at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas before he went to a property in the north of the island.

Jay has not been seen since leaving that address in the morning on 17 June.

Following searches joined in by Ms Law and Mr Hargreaves, the pair have now reportedly left the island to return to the UK.

A family source told The Sun: “It’s heartbreaking for the friends to have to fly home without Jay.

“But there’s only so long they can remain in Tenerife. They are flying home with mixed emotions.

“Part of them hopes to never see Tenerife again but, on the other hand, there dream is to return if Jay is found and be there to greet him and give him a hug.”

While Jay’s family have been concentrating the search for the teenager in the Rural de Teno park in recent days where his phone location last pinged, Spanish Guardia Civil are looking at other inquries, including the possibility he may be elsewhere on the island, it’s been claimed.

The police ended its search on the ground after a final last push on 29 June.

But despite concerns officers were no longer focused on the case, a source has told The Sun that the investigation “remains very much open”.

They added: “One line of inquiry is a theory that Jay might even be in a different part of Tenerife and still alive. All scenarios are being kept in mind.

“The case is very much open because there are still a number of unanswered questions which officers must find answers to.

“They are convinced someone, somewhere knows what happened to Jay or knows where is now is, and that’s what they are working towards trying to establish as quickly as they can.”

It’s now more than three weeks since Jay Slater went to a party at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas with friends Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves.

The friends both left before Jay went to a property in the north of the island – and since leaving that address in the morning on 17 June, has not been seen.

Following searches joined in by Ms Law and Mr Hargreaves, the pair have now reportedly left the island to return to the UK.

Ms Law was the last known person to speak to Jay, when he spoke to her on his phone to say he was lost and had 1 per cent phone battery.

The mountaineer who has joined Jay Slater’s family in their search for the missing teeanger has described the pain they are facing.

This week, Shane Yerrell, who is the mayor of Waltham Abbey in Essex, joined the family searching the rugged terrain in the north west of Tenerife.

Mr Yerrell told The Mirror: “They’re [the family] just living on hope. It’s awful – they’ve got no answers. They don’t know whether Jay is alive or dead.

“They are doing everything to find him. They’re not just out for an hour, they’re out all day 9.30am until 6pm.

“I feel for all of them, his dad in particular. I’m a parent and my child is only a few years younger than Jay. The whole thing is heartbreaking not having any answers.”

The family of Jay Slater received the help of mountaineer Shane Yerrell, who is the mayor of Waltham Abbey in Essex, in their search for the missing teenager who vanished on the morning of 17 June.

This week, Mr Yerrell joined the family, who have been retracing Jay’s steps to the village of Masca, where he was last seen.

But he’s warned of a number of issues impacting the search.

He told The Mirror: “It’s really not easy. I struggled on the mountain and so did his family, but it didn’t bother them because their priority is powering through to find Jay.

“The altitude and the heat makes it really difficult and the mountain is massive.

“You go over one edge and then there’s another bit. It’s unbelievable out there. It would take weeks or months to cover.”