Patrick Hill & Rachel Smith
·4-min read
Jay Slater's devastated mum has revealed she has returned home to Britain with his body - 19 days after he was found following a month-long search.
Debbie Duncan, 55, made the heartbreaking journey from Tenerife to Manchester Airport last week, alongside Jay's supportive dad Warren, 58, and Jay's brother Zak, 24.
Debbie is now planning the 19-year's funeral, which it was tonight announced will be held next Saturday at Accrington Cemetery Chapel, with mourners asked to wear something blue in his memory. A touching obituary, tonight released on behalf of Jay's family, said: "After Jay left Rhyddings High School he went on to become an apprentice bricklayer with the PH Build group, a job he greatly enjoyed."
READ MORE: The heart-warming Jay Slater tributes left by GoFundMe donors from all over the world
At the young age of five Jay started playing football for Huncoat United FC until the age of 17 and also did a few seasons with the Sunday team at St Joseph's too.
"He also loved spending time chilling out with his friends. Jay's love of music and dance started at a very young age. He loved attending music festivals and events across the country and also loved to socialise and meet new people.
"A loving son of Debbie and Warren, a cherished brother of Zak and brother in law of Jessica, a treasured grandson of Dawn, June and the late Dougie, a much loved nephew of Glen and Katie, a dear cousin of Maddie and Tillie and a loyal friend to many. Jay will be very sadly missed by all those who knew him."
Debbie has pledged to give her boy the send-off he deserves and is planning to use part of the £74,156 raised by wellwishers to pay for the ceremony.
The rest of the money will go towards the cost of his repatriation, as well as costs incurred by his family and friends, who flew out to the holiday island to join the search.
They include accommodation, travel and other fees for them, as well as for professional searchers, including one team that flew from the Netherlands, in order to help find him. Jay's body was discovered in an area, described by police as inaccessible in mountains in north-west Tenerife, on July 15, before being airlifted out by helicopter following a 29-day search.
The apprentice bricklayer, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, had disappeared on June 17 after being seen leaving a rental property, named Casa Abuela Tina, in the remote village of Masca, at around 8am. Jay had partied at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas, before leaving with two British men, who drove him 20 miles to the £40-a-night property.
When he tried to walk back to his own accommodation in the south of the island – which would take around 11 hours – the following morning he made video and phone calls to close pals Brad Hargreaves and Lucy Law, who had been with him on the holiday. In what is believed to have been his final call at 8.30am, Jay told Lucy, 18, he had missed a bus, his phone battery was on 1% and he had cut his leg on a cactus.In an earlier video call, Brad, 19, witnessed Jay slip on some rocks while attempting to walk through Parque Rural de Teno nature reserve in order to reach their apartment in Los Cristianos.
Jay's disappearance gripped Britain for almost a month, leading to wild speculation and conspiracy theories on social media. Rumours also raged after it was claimed Jay had stolen a £12,000 Rolex watch shortly before his disappearance and that he was scared as he left a rental apartment.
An autopsy has since found Jay suffered multiple injuries consistent with a fall in the mountainous terrain. He is understood to have died immediately. Matt Searle, of LBT Global, the missing persons charity which helped the family repatriate Jay's body, said: "The family of tragic Brit Jay Slater returned to the UK last week, on the same day that Jay’s body was repatriated. "A UK post mortem was ordered by the coroner, and this concluded that Jay’s death was caused by traumatic head injuries, consistent with the fall from height."The report also highlighted that his death would have been instantaneous."
The family have asked for family flowers only, adding that if anyone would like to bring a single rose to place with Jay, they are more than welcome. They have requested that people donate in lieu of flowers to LBT Global via a specially built page, https://remembering-jay.raiselysite.com/
