Heartbroken dad of missing Jay Slater makes emotional visit to son's search site

Jay Slater's dad has made a pilgrimage to the area where the search for his son is being conducted. Warren Slater said during the emotional visit: "I just want the boy back."

The 58-year-old, and Jay's brother Zak, went to the scene in the village of Masca, Tenerife, near to where Jay was last seen on Monday morning.

The apprentice bricklayer vanished a short time after 8am and police and mountain experts today spent a sixth successive day working to find Jay.

Nine of Jay's friends also joined the pair on the trip. It is the first time a relative has gone to visit the area since Jay disappeared.

The Mirror reports Warren and Zak, 24, wrapped their arms around each other in solidarity while looking out onto the search.

The pair were also seen in tears while visiting the rental property where Jay was last seen. Jay’s mum Debbie, 55, who is estranged from Warren, did not feel strong enough to join them.

Debbie said: 'I'm just exhausted. I’m still hopeful. I'm not feeling negative just yet. I know it’s five days. It's not just that they've said absolutely not.

'I don't know what it's been like today because I've been advised to stay away because I would just break down. My boy might be just up there somewhere.

"We're all devastated. He's just a normal boy from a little town in Lancashire. These things don't happen. I was in touch with him while he is in Tenerife.

"He was just holidaying away, he’d saved up and was looking forward to it. I’ve not slept for five days. My brain isn’t functioning well and I’m tired and exhausted."

Debbie also hit out at online trolls and conspiracy theorists who are targeting her and her family. She said: “People keep asking on social media ‘why aren’t I up there?’ and calling me the new Karen Matthews. I just can’t face it.”

Speaking from the hotel where the family are staying, Debbie added she had not heard anything from the police on Saturday. Debbie, 55, also revealed someone saw him walking down a street.

They are said to have seen him walking with two men on Monday evening. It was that morning that he had last been seen as he enquired about getting a bus back to the south of Tenerife where he was staying with friends.

She said: "Someone has come forward to say they saw someone who they thought was Jay walking back down the road sat on a bench.

"He was with two men looking a bit worse for wear, and they were by a church, this guy has come forward and told the police about it and they are looking into it. We don't know if it was Jay for sure, but it's a start.

"They said it was about 6pm which is ten hours after he was seen by the lady in the village. But if it was him what was he doing there and who are these two men?"

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