The isolated Tenerife village where Jay Slater went missing described as 'dangerous' by locals

Tucked away in the mountainous terrain of northwest Tenerife lies the charming village of Masca. This tiny hamlet, home to just about 90 residents, offers stunning views of the surrounding peaks and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Reaching this off-the-beaten-path location is quite a challenge - it's accessible only via a single, winding, steep road that runs alongside towering cliffs. Despite its allure and charm, search teams looking for missing British teenager Jay Slater have described the area as 'dangerous'.

It's believed that Lancashire-born Jay, on his first overseas trip without his parents, had travelled over 30km from the island's south on the evening of June 16, after attending the NRG music rave. The Manchester Evening News reports that Jay returned to an Airbnb rental with two men he'd met at the event.

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He reportedly left the holiday let the following morning, last Monday (June 17), before venturing alone into the mountains.

Since then, there has been no sign or word from him, with major search efforts now entering their second strenuous week. Despite a potential CCTV sighting, which his family believes could be him, there have been no confirmed sightings amid the ongoing missing persons investigation.

The journey from Los Cristianos, the southern resort where Jay was staying with friends, to Masca takes approximately 60 minutes. It's believed he returned to the village after a night of partying.

In the vicinity of Masca, within Rural de Teno Park, there are a few cafes and bars. There's a bus stop with infrequent services, and the locals aren't fluent English speakers.

On the fifth day of the search, the owner of the Airbnb rental said that Jay had inquired about the bus schedule out of the village before she saw him 'walking off alone', uphill into the mountains.

However, there are limited footpaths - just one well-paved road leads in and out of the area, winding around the massive peaks. Hikers and thrill-seekers do try to climb the mountains - but not without experience.

If Jay had walked downhill, he would have reached the heart of Masca village in just fifteen minutes.

Jay is reported to have left the cottage on foot around 8am. Despite its remoteness, the area is still a hit with tourists; those with car rentals dare to drive up to the site, while regular tour buses also transport visitors there and back several times a day.

The small car parks are completely packed as early as 10am - with tourists taking selfies against the dramatic backdrop, scrambling for parking spaces, and stopping for lunch at one of the few cafes in the area.

The road, which is said to have been the route taken by the missing boy, has concrete barriers along its length to prevent vehicles from veering off. Reporters, after several visits to the search site during the ongoing efforts, noted a high volume of traffic and pedestrians in the area, both in the morning and early evening.

Construction workers are also present at a nearby site, with temporary traffic lights currently in operation. This level of activity has led Jay's family to question how he could have disappeared on the morning of 17 June without being noticed by anyone.

His distraught father, Warren, expressed his confusion to the Manchester Evening News, stating: "No matter if you were drunk or whatever, you don't go off that road up there.

"And there are people up there... you don't go along that road for more than 20 minutes without somebody stopping you or passing you.

"I knew right from when I went up there that he wouldn't have gone [off that road]. He isn't stupid. When I saw the police I asked them, seriously, 'would you go off that road? ' and I think it woke them up a bit. People that go out to a party don't come up here."

His mother, Debbie, previously told the Daily Mail: "If he is lost then why hasn't anyone seen him? It's busy with hikers and holidaymakers up there so if he was lost then someone would have seen him."

The search for missing Jay, which is continuing to focus on a 30km area and three main ravines in the Rural de Teno Park, entered its second week on Monday (June 24). The Civil Guard, mountain rescue teams and fire crews are continuing in their efforts in a desperate bid to find him.