Jay Slater search continues as ex-Nicola Bulley cop lands in Tenerife to track down 'two key men'

Former British police Mark Williams-Thomas has touched down in Tenerife in a bid to help the family of missing Lancashire teen Jay Slater.

The experienced investigator - who has probed a string of high-profile missing persons cases, including Nicola Bulley's disappearance - was spotted on the Spanish island on Tuesday, where the 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer was last spotted.

Mr Williams-Thomas reached out to Jay's mum, Debbie Duncan, on Sunday offering his help and is now working for them, free of charge, to find out what has happened to their son, reports the Mirror.

Speaking before the family accepted his help, Mr Williams-Thomas said he believed he could get answers, giving himself a timeline of just three days.

He also promised to 'track down' the two Brits that Jay is said to have stayed with at a holiday rental the night before he went missing.

He 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.

"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."

The ex-copper worked as a family liaison officer and detective before he became one of Britain's leading TV sleuths.

He was also the top 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.

It's believed he landed on the Spanish island late on Monday night, the same day Jay's family shared a snap of a possible fresh sighting and his dad pleaded for help to bring him home.

The grainy snap was captured by a webcam at 6pm on Monday last week – 10 hours after the 19-year-old’s last confirmed location four miles uphill in the mountain village of Masca.

Yesterday, the search was extended to other parts of the municipality where the teen was last seen, with Civil Guard officers confirming that forest trails and tracks north of the area where he was last seen are now being closely examined.

Police and fire officers also continued combing three separate ravines – including one where it is believed Jay’s phone last “pinged” shortly after he disappeared on Monday, June 17.

Jay had been partying at the New Rave Generation festival in the southwest of Tenerife before he vanished.

He had left the event with two British men to go back to their holiday rental, which was more than 20 miles from the apartment in Los Cristianos where he was staying with his best pal Lucy Law, 18, and another friend.

On Monday morning, he called Lucy to say he was in the middle of nowhere, trying to get home with no water and 1% phone battery. It is understood his mobile died 20 minutes later, at 8.50am,

Speaking on Sunday, Mr Williams-Thomas had added: "It's a week on now - I need to get on the ground and get them answers. 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?".

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.