Heartbreaking new vids show Jay Slater dancing as pals pay tribute after body found in search for missing teen

JAY Slater’s best pal Lucy Mae Law has shared new videos of the teen in a heartbreaking tribute following the discovery of a body.

Searchers discovered remains yards from Jay’s last known location – four weeks after the 19-year-old disappeared while on holiday with pals in Tenerife .

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Lucy wrote in an Instagram post: “Honestly lost for words. Always the happiest and most smiley person in the room, you was one of a kind Jay and you’ll be missed more than you know.

“I’m sure you’ll ‘have your dancing shoes polished and ready’ waiting for us all. We all love you buddy. Fly high.”

Lucy, 18, shared the message alongside a string of images and videos of the pals together over the years.

One new clip shows Jay during a touching moment as he dances to the Whitney Houston classic ‘I want to dance with somebody’ in a booth with pals.

Other clips show Jay boogieing at a festival and walking with Lucy with one showing him and a friend comically speaking in a fake accent.

An account apparently belonging to Brad wrote: “No words. Nothing will be the same without you. Rest easy brother. Love you always.”

Jay vanished 29 days ago after going to a rave the night before with friends – sparking a huge effort to find the Lancashire teen.

Spanish cops axed the official search less than two weeks but Jay’s family kept up the search for their loved one.

A body was then spotted on Monday at around 10am by members of the Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group – close to where his phone last pinged in an area too steep to access on foot.

The Civil Guard said: “After 29 constant days of searching, the lifeless body of the young man has been found in the Masca area.

“Given the complexity of the case the discovery has been possible thanks to the tireless and discreet search… in which the natural space was preserved.

“The body of the young person was found in a very inaccessible area. The results of the autopsy are awaiting confirmation it is an accident.

“The large-scale operation involving multiple units had been suspended but, as we always said, we never stopped looking for Jay.

“The mountain rescue group continued looking for the missing man when they were on duty.

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“We’ve always said the terrain is very difficult and the search was complicated.”

Mum Debbie Duncan , 55, was said to be “totally devastated” after hearing news of the find .

A family source said: “It’s the news they’ve all been dreading. She has a lot of questions which she hopes will be answered in the coming days.

“It hasn’t completely sunk in yet. The hardest thing for her is to hear he was found so close to the original search site. It’s hard to take.

“It means it’s entirely possible they have walked past his body whilst searching for him.

“It seems incredible so many people walked that area and yet he was so close. As we have seen with mountainous terrain and ravines, it does happen — no matter how hard that is to believe.”

What we know so far …

• A body was found in the gruelling search for missing Jay Slater on Monday after 4 weeks
• The body was discovered just yards away from where Jay’s phone last pinged
• Jay’s family believe the missing teen was killed instantly after a horror fall
• Jay’s best pal Lucy Mae Law pays tribute to the ‘happiest person in the room’
• GoFundMe reveals ‘next steps’ in Jay Slater fundraiser as donations pour in
• Moment Jay Slater cops scour ‘inaccessible mountain’ for clues after body found

A flurry of new GoFundMe donations have poured in for Jay Slater’s grieving family after a body was found in Tenerife.

A whopping £53,700 has now been donated to the GoFundMe, with £510 across 38 people gifted in the hours following the announcement.

Some of those donating left messages to the family.

One said: “I am so sorry to hear the news my deepest condolences to your family.”

Another said: “Would all who can please join together and pray to Almighty God for the safe return of Jay alive to his loving family and friends. Prayer is all powerful and can move mountains.”

TIMELINE OF THE TRAGEDY

THE grim discovery of a body comes after weeks of agony for Jay’s friends and family. Here is how the events unfolded:

Sunday, June 16: Jay and his friends party at the last day of NRG music festival being held at Papagayo night club in Playa de la Americas, Tenerife.

June 17 3-6am: Jay leaves with Ayub Qassim and another man for a £40-a-night Airbnb 23 miles away in the village of Masca.

7.30am: Jay shares a photo on Snapchat standing at doorway of the Airbnb.

8.50am: He calls pal Lucy Mae Law and says he is “lost in the middle of nowhere” with no water, a cut to his leg and one per cent on his phone.

Tuesday, June 18: Pals search area but no sign of Jay. Local cops and mountain rescue teams start official search. Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan flies to Tenerife.

June 19-20: Spanish police deploy drones, dogs and a helicopter, but find no trace. Search moves to Los Cristianos amid possible sighting, but it is ruled out and they return to Rural de Teno, near Masca.

June 21: Lancashire Police offer support but it is declined.

June 22: Mum Debbie issues emotional appeal to Jay saying “We just need you home.”

June 24: Claims of Jay sighting in Santiago del Teide — near to where he disappeared — and family believe a grainy CCTV image could be of him.

June 25: Debbie issues plea for her son to come home as more friends fly out and TV investigator Mark Williams- Thomas joins search.

June 29: Cops rule Mr Qassim, and other man at Airbnb, out of investigation.

June 30: Spanish cops officially suspend hunt but say probe “remains open”. His family continue to search.

Yesterday: A body is found by helicopter search team close to where his phone last pinged. His possessions are discovered next to human remains. Spanish cops say it points to an “accidental fall”.

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Reuters

Ian Whittaker