Jay Slater's mum issues new statements on Facebook and GoFundMe 3 weeks after disappearance

19-year-old Jay Slater from Oswaldistle has been missing from Tenerife, where he was attending the NRG music festival, since Monday, June 17.

Jay’s disappearance has captured the attention of the nation, and even the world, with over £50,000 being donated to a GoFundMe set up by Jay’s friend Lucy.

Social media has also been strife with both pleas for his return and unhelpful gossip surrounding how he came to be missing and what this GoFundMe will be used for.

In new updates posted over the past few days, Debbie has posted a statment on the ‘Jay Slater Missing’ Facebook group via a family friend about the online gossip she has seen, as well as a separate statement on the GoFundMe page.

In the Facebook post, Debbie said: “I feel the need to post this to your group and then I shall remove myself. I joined this group to share the positivity and love from the British public. It seems through no fault of my own you have all decided to make up your own minds. It is really sad I have felt the need to do this.

“My beautiful son Jay is still missing and believe me this is no holiday. He came on his first holiday to Tenerife to attend the NRG music event. What mystery surrounding his disappearance may never surface. We as a family are truly devastated.

“I did not ask for publicity from the start and was not aware that the first missing poster had my telephone number on it. It should have had the SOS Guardia Civil but like I say this was out of my control. Whatever decision you have in your minds I cannot control this either.

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“We are a normal working family from Lancashire going through hell. I would like to thank the genuine people for their love and support at this difficult time and to continue to pray for Jay to be found.

“For those of you who are more concerned around the Gofundme page I can assure you that up to now it has not been used and our stay up to now has been financed by ourselves. I do have proof of transactions and transfers to other persons but I should not have to justify this. So you can make up your own minds.

“If any of you in this group have donated I am thankful . For the other mothers out there. Please continue to pray . Thank you”

The Facebook user who had shared Debbie’s message on her behalf had turned off comments on the post but it still evidently had an impact upon the group’s members, having received 18,000 likes and been shared 621 times in two days.

Only yesterday, Debbie also provided another update on the GoFundMe page in which she both thanked those who have supported their family and ensured that the search for Jay continues, despite officials calling off their search last week.

The update reads: “We have been overwhelmed by the kindness and support we have received and would like to thank the local hiking group for all of their help planning the routes to find our Jay. We have been contacted by a wonderful group of locals who have volunteered to continue the search. While they don’t wish to accept financial help for their search, we will be supporting them with supplies and are so grateful for their willingness to help. “We also continue to be contacted by experienced groups offering to support our search. We are busy talking to them about what they can do to assist. But in order for us to employ their help, they need to have permission from the Spanish authorities. “We will be sure to keep you all updated on our progress and are so grateful for your continued support to bring our boy home. Please keep sharing and supporting our fundraiser however you can.”

You can keep up to date with the latest news about Jay Slater’s disappearance with this blog here.