Jay Slater: Ex-detective who helped in Nicola Bulley search joins missing teen investigation

Former British detective Mark Williams-Thomas has joined the search for missing teenager Jay Slater in Tenerife. The experienced investigator, known for his involvement in several high-profile cases including the Nicola Bulley disappearance in Lancashire, was seen on the island where 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer Jay was last spotted.

Mr Williams-Thomas reached out to Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan, 55, on Sunday, offering assistance and is now aiding the family free-of-charge to uncover what has happened to their son. Before the family took up his offer, the former detective said that he was confident that he would get answers for them within just three days, the Mirror has reported.

He also pledged to track down the two British individuals Jay reportedly stayed with at a holiday rental the night before his disappearance. Mr Williams-Thomas said: "Having feet on the ground and looking at the scenario and circumstances, I know I will get to the bottom of this in three days. I would quickly be able to establish whether or not there are suspicious circumstances - but I'd need total access to everything and to speak to all the witnesses involved."

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He added: "If the family work with me, I will get them answers. It is crucial for the family. It is difficult for them, dealing with foreign police who handle it differently. But I'd need their full co-operation, I'd need to speak to every witness involved; those that he's been with since he's been on the island. Some people will be more persons of interest than others."

Mr Williams-Thomas worked as a family liaison officer and detective before becoming one of Britain's leading TV sleuths. He was the lead investigator on the ITV Exposure documentary, The Other Side of Jimmy Savile, which revealed how the late BBC presenter systematically and disturbingly preyed upon young and vulnerable girls.

According to the Mirror, it is understood Mr Williams-Thomas arrived on the Spanish island late on Monday night, coinciding with the day Jay's family shared a potential new sighting photo and his father's plea for assistance in bringing him home. The blurry image was taken by a webcam at 6pm last Monday - a full 10 hours after the missing teen's last confirmed location four miles uphill in the mountain village of Masca.

On Monday (June 24), the search area was expanded to other parts of the municipality where the teenager was last spotted. Civil Guard officers confirmed that forest trails and tracks north of his last known location are now being examined. Police and fire officers also continued their search in three separate ravines including one where it is believed Jay's phone last "pinged" shortly after he vanished on Monday, June 17.

Before his disappearance, Jay had attended the New Rave Generation festival in southwest Tenerife. It's thought he left the event with two British men to return to their holiday rental, situated over 20 miles from the Los Cristianos apartment where he was staying with his best friend Lucy Law, 18, and another companion.

On Monday morning, he made a call to Lucy, informing her that he was stranded in an unknown location, desperately trying to return home with no water and his phone battery at 1%. It is believed that his phone finally ran out of power 20 minutes later, at 8.50am.

Mr Williams-Thomas spoke on Sunday, emphasising the urgency of the situation: "It's a week on now - I need to get on the ground and get them answers," he said. "It's about finding Jay. I come with credibility, will work with them and Spanish police, and get them the answers they need.

"We need to establish what the involvement is with these two guys [he stayed with], why he went back to the Airbnb and then why just leave? The chances of him wandering off are possible, but is there more to this?".