Prayers said at Oswaldtwistle church for missing teenager

Prayers have been said for missing teenager Jay Slater at his local church in Oswaldtwistle.

At the West End Methodist Church on Blackburn Road, worshippers gathered for the traditional Sunday morning service.

Prayers were said that Jay may be found and that ‘he may come home’. There were also words of support for his worried family and friends.

Jay was last heard from last Monday and disappeared following an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus. Before his disappearance, he had attended the NRG music festival on the island with two friends.

Speaking on Sunday, The Reverend Matt Smith said: “For us the church is always our focus in the sense of our prayer and the community.

“For the community around we are thee for the community whenever they need us and this week has been one of those times, actually the community did need us.

“We were able to support them in that time, to give an opportunity to come and to pray.

“And to share their message of support and wish that Jay does come home.

“We have also shared our support for the family, as they are going through a horrible time.”

(Image: Nq/LT)

Blue ribbons have been popping up around Oswaldtwistle all this week and the church was adorned with the ribbons. People have showing support to family and friends who are overseas searching for him, by ‘turning the streets blue’.

Ted Feathers had run a butchers close to the church for many years before he retired.

He said the community around where Jay’s family live are all very close knit.

“I may have served them over the years. I retired some years ago.

“The service inside was very low key but everybody was thinking about the poor lad.

“It has been a worrying week for everyone here.”

Asked how the family was coping with the situation, mum Debbie Duncan said over the weekend “We’re not. I’m not coping very well at all.

“I’ve not slept, I’m exhausted. It’s been awful.”

“I can’t give up on him, I just can’t.”

Warren Slater, Jay’s father said he is "just hoping that somebody has helped him off this mountain".

He added: "That's all I want, that somebody has helped him get off this mountain. I just want him back and that's it. He's my son."

Jay's brother, Zak Slater, said: "We don't know where he is, what's happened, or anything. I don't know what to say. We just want him to come home safe."
He added: "I just wish he'd come home.”