Jay Slater GoFundMe hits £40,000 as mum Debbie Duncan confirms what funds will be used for

The fundraising effort to aid the family of 19-year-old Jay Slater, who vanished on June 17 in Tenerife, has seen a surge of support, with the GoFundMe page surpassing £40,000. His mum Debbie Duncan expressed her gratitude for the generosity shown by over 3,200 donors, stating that the funds will assist mountain rescue teams and help cover her living expenses while she remains on the island to search for her son. She arrived in Tenerife on June 18, immediately after Jay's disappearance.

Jay Slater, an apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, went missing after trying to walk back to his accommodation when he missed a bus. He had been at the NRG music festival with friends and was last in contact on June 17. The journey from Rural de Teno Park, where Jay was last seen, to his accommodation is estimated to be an 11-hour walk.

The fundraising campaign, initiated by Lucy Law, a friend and the last person to speak with him, quickly gathered momentum, reports the Mirror. The "Get Jay Slater home" GoFundMe appeal saw a rapid influx of donations as worry for the young man escalated. Debbie Duncan updated supporters on Thursday, saying: "First, I would like to thank everyone for your support, kind messages, and good wishes."

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"It's difficult to wrap our heads around what is happening right now, but we are not losing hope that we will find Jay and return home together. We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held. I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay. Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.

"I'm surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far from their loved ones, so we'll also be using part of these funds to fly them to Tenerife so we can support each other during these dark times. Thank-you again for all your donations and support, this means the world to us."

Ms Law revealed that Mr Slater had made a frantic phone call to her before he disappeared on June 17, saying he was "lost in the mountains, he wasn't aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on 1%". Since then, search teams led by the Spanish police, the Guardia Civil, have launched a massive manhunt, deploying helicopters, drones and search dogs to comb the mountainous regions of the island, but the teenager remains missing.

Ms Duncan has described the ordeal of her son's disappearance and the agonising wait for news as a "living nightmare".