Jay Slater’s family to hold UK fundraisers to pay for search lasting ALL summer after mum gives GoFundMe cash to sleuths
JAY Slater’s distraught family are planning a series of fundraising events back in the UK.
Almost £50,000 has already been donated on a GoFundMe page since Jay vanished in Tenerife on June 17.
Jay’s devastated mum Debbie Duncan has vowed to use cash from well-wishers to support volunteers hunting for 19-year-old Jay on the island.
She also said money from the appeal would be used towards their own accommodation and food, as well as that of supporters who have jetted to Tenerife.
But The Sun understands his friends and family back in Jay’s hometown Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, are desperate to help.
A source close to the family told The Sun: “Jay has a lot of friends and family back in Lancashire who feel pretty helpless at the moment.
“They’re following the case every day on the news and on social media.
“A lot of them would love to be in Tenerife but it’s not possible.
“Many of them have set up a Facebook campaign turning their profile pictures blue and using Jay’s face as their image.”
They are now discussing holding a string of events in a bid to raise further funds to support Jay’s family after they were “blindsided” by the search being called off.
Pals and family in the UK want to gather enough donations to keep the hunt going all summer.
The insider added: “His friends are hoping to go further and try to raise money in any way they can.
“Some of his pals are discussing holding events to get funds together to keep the search alive for him.
“There are a lot of people who are coming forward saying they’d like to be involved and his pals are also planning to speak to local businesses, like pubs, and shops to see if they can help support them in any way.
“It will be big boost for Jay’s parents. They are determined to keep boots on the ground in Tenerife for as long as possible now that the police have officially ended their search.”
Parents Debbie and Warren, as well as brother Zak, are all in Tenerife still looking for answers on what happened to Jay.
His loved ones said they felt “left in the dark” over what will happen with the investigation now the search has been axed.
His family have been urged to use the nearing £50,000 worth of donations on the GoFundMe page to fund a private search for Jay.
Mum Debbie said this week she would be putting money towards paying the expenses of volunteers who are combing the mountainous terrain for Jay.
The source added: “But the volunteer-led search will still cost money because the family need to make sure those volunteering their time have somewhere to stay.
“They also need food and drink to fuel them during what is a really gruelling process.
“Despite everything that’s going on, Jay’s family are trying to remain as positive as possible.
“They think the new lead in the last 24 hours has put a fresh perspective on things.
“It’s given them hope and they remain in constant touch with the local police.
“The family dearly hope that it may persuade cops in Tenerife to reopen the search. But at the moment they’ve not been told any new searches are happening.
“Instead, they are relying on the goodwill of people who are looking for Jay.”
After going to a rave in Playa de las Americas, apprentice bricklayer Jay headed to Masca with two British men in the early hours
The teen shared a final Snapchat from their Airbnb of a hand holding a cigarette at 7.30am.
Jay then tried to make his way back to his holiday accommodation – an 11-hour walk away.
But at around 8.50am he made a final frantic call to friend Lucy, telling her he was lost in the “middle of nowhere” with no water and had just one per cent battery on his phone.
It sparked a major search for the teen involving drones, sniffer dogs and helicopters.
But after almost two weeks, cops dramatically called off the search on Sunday.
Yet on Tuesday, two plain-clothed officers wearing blue forensic style shoe coverings were sent to scan the £40-a-night two-bedroom cottage called Casa Abuela Tina for clues.
Investigators said the two Brits Jay partied with at the Airbnb were “not relevant” to their probe.
So a renewed interest in the flat which Jay left at around 8am on June 17 is an interesting development and raises further questions over the direction of the police investigation.
Jay’s dad Warren has also questioned why his teenage son ended up going to a holiday let with “two grown men”.
Warren, 58, believes the investigation into his son’s whereabouts should focus on the Airbnb.
He told The Sun: “My only question is, and this is where you start the investigation from, why did two grown men take a young boy to a valley to a bed and breakfast? I can’t understand that.
“Why? Why? You need to ask them why and then start from there.”
Warren’s questions come after a TV investigator helping the family claimed Jay left the Airbnb feeling “scared”.
Former detective Mark Williams-Thomas claims the lad did not want to return to the holiday let despite needing water and having little phone battery.
He told friends he “couldn’t do that” and that he was already 30 minutes walk away.
Mark also claimed Jay admitted swiping the a pricey Rolex in a Snapchat to pals while in a car on his way to the Airbnb