The mum of missing teenager Jay Slater says funds from her son's GoFundMe page, which has surpassed £36,000 in donations, are now being withdrawn.
In a new major update shared with fundraisers, Debbie Duncan, who flew to Tenerife the day after Jay, 19, was reported missing, said: "Hi everyone, this is Debbie again. First, I would like to thank everyone for your support, kind messages, and good wishes. 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.
The heartbroken mum revealed that the money raised for the fundraiser, which is titled "Get Jay Slater home", will be used to support mountain rescue teams who are "tirelessly searching for Jay". Debbie explained: "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", she added.
Jay in Tenerife two days before he vanished (FACEBOOK)
New photos of Jay in Tenerife have emerged (FACEBOOK)The GoFundMe page was set up by Jay's close pal, Lucy Mae Law, with an intial target of £30,000. After nationwide confusion about where the money was going, it was later revealed that the cash would be used to cover travel and accommodation expenses for Jay's friends and family, who flew to Tenerife to help in the search.
Brit teen missing on hols after desperate call to pals from 'middle of nowhere'
Despite its £30,000 target, the fundraiser currently sits at £36,315 in donations from concerned members of the public.
In her statment, Debbie added: "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.
Jay vanished in Tenerife on Monday, June 17 (ENTERPRISE NEWS AND PICTURES)
Debbie says hasn't been able to sleep (Pixel8000)Debbie ended her update by thanking members of the public for their ongoing support. She said: "Thank you again for all your donations and support, this means the world to us."
The mum previosuly told how she was “beside herself with worry” and convinced Jay had been kidnapped. She is joined in Tenerife by Jay's older brother Zac, 21, and Jay's dad, Warren Slater, who said the teenager's disappearance “doesn't make sense.”
Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, is known to have left the NRG music event in Tenerife by car with two men and stayed the night at an Airbnb in the rural area in the north west of the island before vanishing on the morning of Monday, June 17. The teen was last heard from by his friend Lucy Mae Law, who claims he called her on the morning he went missing, and said he was disoriented, needed water, and that his phone was only one percent charged.
Rescue team continue to search for Jay near the village of Masca (Stan Kujawa)Lucy set up the GoFundMe page shortly after Jay was reported missing, and wrote: "I woke up to a phone call off Jay at 8:30 AM saying 'he was lost in the mountains, he wasn’t aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink & his phone was on 1%'.
"He had met 2 people on Sunday night and left with them to go to their apartment. Their apartment was miles away from civilisation and in a very secluded location. He left at 8am, and walked half an hour before frantically ringing me when his phone reached 1%. This was 3 days ago now, and no one has seen or heard from him since."
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