Family leave fresh emotional tributes for teenager

8 hours ago

By Jonny Humphries, BBC News, Tenerife

Reuters Flowers left by the brother of British teenager Jay Slater near the site in Tenerife where his body was found — A single rose with a message saying “love you little bro” was among the messages left

The family of Jay Slater have left a series of poignant messages close to the area where the 19-year-old’s body was discovered.

One was left next to a single rose and read: “Love you little bro. Never in a million years did I think I’d be doing this. I’ll look after mum and dad.”

Another was tied with a blue ribbon and signed with: “To my boy. Love Dad, always.”

Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle, was formally identified as the body discovered in a ravine in the Masca area of Tenerife on Monday, almost a month after he first disappeared.

Jay Slater was on holiday in Tenerife when he went missing

Family handout A photograph of Jay Slater, in close-up. He is smiling a the camera — Jay Slater was on holiday in Tenerife when he went missing

The charity LBT Global told the BBC it was helping to organise the return of the body – with the family facing a wait of at least a week before they can bring the teenager’s remains home.

It is understood some of the near £60,000 raised in a GoFundMe appeal could be used towards the repatriation costs if necessary.

On Tuesday the Guardia Civil and Canary Islands Higher Court of Justice confirmed the body had injuries consistent with a fall on to rocky ground.

Matthew Searle, chief executive of LBT Global, which has been helping the Slater family, told the BBC he understood the Spanish authorities had carried out all the examinations they needed to.

He added he was confident that insurance should cover the cost of bringing Mr Slater’s body home, but that there was the option of using crowdfunded donations if not.

Another message was tied with a blue ribbon and signed with “love Dad, always”.

Reuters A note and blue riband left by the father of British teenager Jay Slater near to where his body was found — Another message was tied with a blue ribbon and signed with “love Dad, always”.

LBT Global has been helping Mr Slater’s family through the formal processes with the Spanish judicial system, which Mr Searle said could be “overwhelming” for grief-stricken relatives.

He said: “There is so much to do, and obviously when you’re in a foreign country, and you don’t speak the language, and you’ve got no-one around you to help really, and you’re in the position that Jay’s parents are in… it’s just not the kind of thing that you cope with, it’s just overwhelming.”