JAY’S FUND
Jay Slater GoFundMe set up by pal Lucy Mae goes £10k OVER target after mum revealed plan to withdraw money
Rescue crews fear Jay may not be found alive if he disappeared in the mountainous terrain
A GOFUNDME page set up to raise money for missing Jay Slater's family has today hit £40,000.
It comes after the teen's mum Debbie Duncan revealed she would be withdrawing some of the donations to fly supporters out to Tenerife.
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Distraught Debbie, 55, said cash would also be used to help search teams scouring the island's north for her son, who has been missing for 12 days.
The family will use some of the money to cover their accommodation and food while in Tenerife as well.
Some 3,600 well-wishers have donated to the page, so far raising £40,065 - more than £10,000 over its target.
Debbie wrote on the page yesterday: "We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held.
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"I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay.
"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."
The page was set up by Jay's friend Lucy Mae - the last person he spoke to on the phone before he vanished.
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It surpassed its of £30,000 within days.
Debbie was previously forced to defend the fundraiser after online trolls questioned what the donations would be used for.
‘Very surprising’ Jay Slater search theory revealed by ex-top cop who tracked down killer fugitive Raoul Moat
The mum said: "I am really am saddened by all your comments. You seem to be so bothered about this GoFundMe page.
"I really hope I am not taking my son home in a body bag.
"I really cannot believe the British public are not supporting me in trying to find Jay.
"This may happen to any of you one day. Very let down by you all."
It comes as...
- Search for Jay hones in on series of caves
- Crews fear he won't be found alive if he vanished in mountains
- Tenerife worst place to go missing, expert warned before Jay went missing
- Ex-top cop who tracked down Raoul Moat reveals search theory
- Jay was attacked by gang when he was just 12
- New pics of Jay emerge at a pool party two days before he vanished
- Cops quiz locals who 'saw Jay watching Euros'
- Investigator reveals descriptions of two men who partied with teen
- Crews scour exact spot where mystery 'grainy figure' was seen
It comes as the search for Jay has honed in a series of barren caves further along the desolate Rural de Teno park.
Rescue crews had been scouring a 2,000ft ravine in the mountainous terrain.
They have now shifted their focus to caves near Los Carrizales - around an hour and a half on foot from the Airbnb Jay went to with two men.
Los Carrizales is a small hamlet not far from Masca in the Teno mountains.
But police sources have warned that it is "very unlikely Jay has survived if he got lost in the mountains".
Yet authorities have said there are no plans to put a stop to the search yet, despite no signs of the 19-year-old.
Jay, from Lancashire, has been missing since last Monday, and Debbie said her family are in a "living nightmare" as search teams fail to find any trace of him.
After going to a rave that finished in the early hours of June 17, Jay headed to Masca with two British men he had met that night.
He 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.
Jay's family are now claimed to have turned to a TikTok sleuth for help.
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Paul Arnott, a self-described TikTok "explorer", is among influencers who have jetted out to the island to join the search.
The 29-year-old runs an account on the video-based social media app called Down the Rapids.
Paul told The Telegraph: "I’m meeting the family today.
"They said they wanted to meet me. They said they’re really proud of what I’m doing.
I’ve been speaking with Brad’s mum, Rachel. They wanted to bring me food but I said no."
Debbie told the outlet: “[I] can’t thank Paul Arnott enough, also Callum Rahim [another TikTok creator] and his friends for working alongside with the search and rescue teams."
Paul paid £400 for a flight from Fort William in Scotland to Tenerife.
He has posted 66 videos since flying out to the island, with hundreds of thousands of views.
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But former cop Charlie Hedges told The Sun about the risks of online sleuths and amateur detectives trying to crack the case.
He urged the public not to take it upon themselves to help the search as he noted despite their best intentions they may end up causing more trouble.
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Timeline of Jay Slater’s disappearance
SUNDAY JUNE 16 - MONDAY 17
Jay goes to a rave at the 2024 NRG music festival in Tenerife, around Arona on the south of the island
8.35pm - Jay posts a smiling Snapchat video of him laughing with friends
He leaves the rave with two men he met that day and is driven back to their accommodation across the island
MONDAY 17
7.30am - Jay posts a Snapchat of a hand holding a cigarette in the area where the accommodation was - near the rural de Teno Park on the north of the island
8.30am - Jay calls his friend Lucy Law and tells her he missed a bus, had one per cent of battery left on his phone and was stuck in the “middle of nowhere”
9am - A missing persons report is filed and the search for Jay begins
TUESDAY 18
2am - Police knock on the door of Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan’s home and tell her to catch the first flight out to Tenerife
7am - She flies out from Manchester Airport alongside her son Zak to help with the search
Debbie is sent a Snapchat message saying “Kiss goodbye to your boy, you’re never going to see him again, he owes me a lot of money."
WEDNESDAY 19
12.30pm - Police move the search to the south of the island briefly after a false sighting
Cops search his hotel room for clues as his mum says there was “nothing untoward there”
Debbie gives a heart-wrenching interview where she shares fears he has been “taken” and says “I just want my baby back”
THURSDAY 20
Cops begin day four of the massive search for Jay
FRIDAY 21
Lancashire cops offer to help with the search but Tenerife authorities say they are "satisfied that they have the resources they need"
Search turns to 22,000ft ravine in Masca - part of an area dubbed "the badlands"; by locals
SATURDAY 22
The sixth day of the search begins with sniffer dogs, cops, mountain rescue and firefighters again taking to the hills in northern Tenerife
Possible new sighting of Jay places him near a church with two men at 6pm on Monday - although unconfirmed by police
Jay's dad Warren and brother Zak visit the search site in Tenerife
SUNDAY 23
Cops focus their search around small outbuildings in de Teno park near where Jay's phone last pinged
Jay's mum Debbie says trolls are comparing her to Karen Matthews
The GoFundMe set up by Jay's friend Lucy surpasses £30,000 after just three days
Exclusive Sun footage shows Jay appearing to fall and stumble back up at a rave before he vanished
MONDAY 24
Search for Jay enters eighth day
Police expand search area north to parts of Buenavista del Norte
Jay's dad says his family are in 'a living hell'
TUESDAY 25
Brit hiker found by Jay search teams says he 'didn't need to be saved'
Madeleine McCann cop lands in Tenerife to join search
Tenerife cops call in reinforcements from Madrid - including specialist sniffer dogs
WEDNESDAY 26
Locals claim they have spotted Jay watching Euros
Investigator reveals descriptions of two men Jay partied with
Cops scour exact spot where 'mystery grainy figure' was seen
THURSDAY 27
Detectives 'fear it's unlikely Jay will be found alive if in mountains'
Search hones in on series of caves in desolate park
Family 'turn to help of TikTok sleuth'
FRIDAY 28
GoFundMe goes £10,000 over target as it hits £40,000
Tenerife cops announce huge search for Jay & appeal for volunteers
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