GoFundMe page

Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan, 55, thanked donors on Monday as a GoFundMe page called “Get Jay Slater home” had raised more than £34,000.

‌She wrote on the page: “We have not yet withdrawn any funds and are currently covering the expenses, such as the trip to Tenerife and accommodation, ourselves.

‌“The funds will remain on hold with GoFundMe until we post a further update on this page [on GoFundMe]. We are extremely worried and are doing everything we can to find Jay.

‌“Please continue to share our fundraiser far and wide. Your support means the world to us, and we are grateful for any help you can provide.”

Meanwhile, the construction company that employs Mr Slater said he was being misrepresented online, with conspiracy theories having been posted on a Facebook group. Some speculated that Mr Slater had been kidnapped, while others suggested he was hiding.

PH Build, which employs him as an apprentice bricklayer, said: “Jay has been with us since he left school, and is liked by all. He’s a valued member of our team and we stand by him.”

“The picture being painted of him is just not true. The fact is he’s a 19-year-old lad missing in a foreign country. He needs to be back home where he belongs. Come on Jay, we are all praying for you.”